THE ALL-ROUND PARTNER FOR HOME AND BUILDING AUTOMATION WITH KNX

KNX news

In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the KNX Association, a joint event together with the KNX General Assembly was held in Brussels on the 14th & 15th February 2010.

Apart from a gorgeous dinner and celebration at the Atomium, all light up and shiny, some very important issues were presented in the KNX General Assembly, such as: Energy Efficiency, Smart Metering with KNX, the worldwide situation of KNX, etc.

We will inform you about everything. But, first of all, we would like to sum up the speech held by Mr. Godehardt Schneider‏, the president of the KNXA, in the following points:

•    The ETS4 will be presented at the light+building, but unfortunately will not be ready to be launched in the market until the 20th October 2010. The manufacturers already started using the ETS MT Tool 4.0 (Manufacturing tool) and it seems to be much more user friendly and flexible than its forerunner. It is a plug-in into the well known programming environment Visual Studio and has very good xml import / export possibilities.

•    Mr. Schneider also underlined the fact that Smart Metering is increasingly important and that the KNXA is doing everything in its power to promote the implementation of KNX into the different standards (CEN TC 294 – Battery powered meters, CLC TC 13 - Electric Meters, ETSI M2M – External communication, CLC TC 205 Link to smart home)

•    For those who are interested in attending a KNX ground course, there is good news: after passing the exam and creating the online account, one will have the possibility to download a free ETS Trainee version from their account.

•    It was also very pleasing to hear that approximately 500 ETS3 licenses / month were sold last year.

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Futurasmus Zentrum, our certified KNX+ Training Center, has again taken a step further and has achieved the highest grade of certification granted by the KNXA and can now impart the Tutor Course.

We have been a certified center since 2003 for the KNX Partner Course and have trained over 850 professionals. In 2006 we became the KNX+ title, which means that we can also impart the KNX Advanced Course. And now we have been registered to offer the KNX Tutor Course.

With three highly specialised and skilled certified Trainers, we are located in the city of Alicante, on the south east coast of Spain, but are ready to impart the courses in any other country for groups of 10 or more (in Spanish, English and German)

In order to become a KNX Tutor, you need to become a KNX Partner in the first place, but you also need to have attended a KNX Advanced Course.

Now, for the first time, we offer the following opportunity:

•    KNX Advanced course:
o    Objective: become an expert in HVAC, logical functions, visualization, gateways, remote control, ETS Tools, Security, etc.
o    Place: Alicante, Spain (contact us for accommodation facilities)
o    Date: 22nd till 26th February 2010
o    Price: 1.200 €
o    Language: English

•    KNX Tutor course:
o    Objective: become a certified Trainer and start a new business in your area.
o    Place: Alicante, Spain (contact us for accommodation facilities)
o    Date: 15th till 17th March 2010
o    Price: 1.500 €
o    Language: English


Special price for both courses: 2.200 €

If you are interested, contact us at info@futurasmus-zentrum.com or visit www.futurasmus-zentrum.com (at present, only in Spanish)

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During the last edition of the light+building in 2008 Busch-Jaeger presented its Busch-ComfortPanel, a 9” touch display that raised the admiration of both integrators (due to its technical features) and end users (thanks to its design and multimedia elements).

Beside the usual functions to control the home automation elements of a KNX system, this display also operates as a multimedia server, it implements IP cams, it allows recording text and voice messages, RSSs access, etc.

Now it is news again because it has taken a step forward and the new 2.1 software version includes:
•    VoIP telephone with its own number and videoconference possibilities thanks to the integrated camera
•    Streaming for online radio
•    Communication with Miele home appliances
•    Remote control via cell phone
•    Babyphone

On the whole, this display distances itself from others of its kind and we will definitely have to visit Busch-Jaeger’s booth at the light+building in April.

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Studies revealed by the KNX Association show how networked home and building control based on KNX allows up to 50% energy savings.

These are the achieved conclusions:

1)    Institute for Building and Energy Systems at Biberach University of Applied Sciences: “Particularly automation functions, which present a high degree of energy-saving potential by combining various individual trades, can today only be achieved using modern building system technology based on bus and communication systems.”

2)    Bremen Univesity of Applied Sciences: based on a four-year series of measurements, the use of KNX control was found to reduce energy consumption by an impressive 50%. It is thus clear that the expenditure in building automation system has quick payback.

The research project conducted at this University shows Energy saving with KNX on the extent to which energy savings based on the example of heating energy. The newly constructed Centre for Informatics and media Technologies (ZIMT) has been fitted with KNX controls and equipment for regulating heating and lighting. The data collected has been evaluated, and comparisons made between “normal” operation and “automation” mode. The building has a specific energy consumption of 60-75 kWh/m2a. Two identical classrooms were selected as test rooms. One was fitted with a conventional installation, and the second with KNX control.

The above mentioned University calculated that, with an annual energy consumption of 230,000 kWh for lighting alone, the investment would pay itself back after just one year with a KNX bus control. Ultimately it is not just the owners/operators and investors who benefit from the reduced energy consumption: the climate does as well.

In summary, KNX allows the following energy savings to be made:
    up to 40% with KNX shutter control
    up to 50% with KNX single room control
    up to 60% with KNX lighting control
    up to 60% with KNX ventilation control

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Lingg&Janke has updated their BCU compatible with Kamstrup energy meters, which provides much more information from the energy meters than the old BCU. The most important functions are:

- Active and reactive metering
- Energy consumption and also energy received (ej: solar plates)
- Up to 8 tariff management
- Thresholds for almost all measurements
- Establish due date for metering
- And much more…

The application program has up to 100 communication objects, which may be functional depending on the Kamstrup’s energy meter used (not all energy meters have all the information).

We are also glad to announce that this new energy meters with the updated BCU will keep the same price as the old ones.

The first units will be ready for shipment shortly but orders can be made starting from today.

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