KNX: Enabling smarter and more intuitive building automation with IoT and semantic tech

The challenge

The KNX Association is a Belgian non-profit organization that develops KNX, a royalty-free, open standard for building automation, ensuring seamless interoperability between devices from different manufacturers. As the world moves toward smart, connected environments, the KNX Association recognized the need to modernize its ecosystem by integrating IoT and enabling direct interaction with KNX devices over IP.

However, this required expertise beyond the traditional scope of KNX members, who are primarily hardware manufacturers with a focus on low-level software. Bridging this gap was essential to future-proof KNX while maintaining its core strengths.

Additionally, KNX sought to introduce semantics so building automation could become more intuitive, enabling users to control their environments with simple, natural-language commands like “Turn off the bathroom lights on the first floor”. Achieving this required structuring complex device relationships into a machine-readable format, called semantics, being an area outside the typical KNX expertise.

To successfully evolve while preserving interoperability, KNX needed a partner with deep knowledge of high-level software, IoT, and semantic technologies, one that could modernize their system without disrupting its foundation. Here is where Verhaert Digital came in!

Approach & solution

With limited internal capacity and key decisions resting with an internal board of KNX members, the KNX Association needed support in technical consultancy, research, and software development to shape its IoT evolution.

To address this, we worked closely with KNX as a trusted, technical advisor, guiding discussions on the new KNX IoT standard. Our role extended beyond consultation: we provided hands-on research and development, systematically exploring and validating various technologies and coding languages relevant to the evolving standard.

To drive clarity and decision-making, we developed a Proof of Concept (PoC) gateway device, demonstrating how KNX IoT could be implemented in practice. This not only provided a tangible reference for the internal board but also showcased how semantic data could enhance system communication. At the heart of our solution was a KNX IoT core library, designed to simplify interactions with KNX IoT systems for developers. Now integrated into KNX’s ETS and MT software, this library empowers users to leverage KNX IoT without needing deep expertise in the full standard.

Our work also resulted in the KNX Information Model (KIM), a newly published KNX standard that embeds semantic capabilities, paving the way for a smarter, more intuitive automation ecosystem.

Impact & results

With the KNX IoT Standard now published, manufacturers have a clear framework for developing their own KNX IoT solutions. Our Proof of Concept (PoC) gateway became a blueprint for others, inspiring new gateway implementations across the industry.

The KIM is now an official KNX standard, published online and regularly updated by KNX itself, ensuring long-term adaptability. Meanwhile, the KNX IoT core library we extended has been integrated into KNX’s existing software, forming the foundation for new features and extensions within the KNX IoT ecosystem.

While our direct role has concluded for the time being, the groundwork we laid continues to shape the evolution of KNX IoT. More importantly, KNX now has the self-sufficiency to drive this transformation forward, armed with the tools, knowledge, and structure to modernize its ecosystem for years to come.

“Verhaert Digital helped us in our first steps in the IoT world when we developed the KNX Information Model ontology and the PoC for the 3rd Party KNX IoT API. Thanks to their flexibility we could adjust the project goals to updated/new expectations at all time.”

Key takeaways

Our collaboration had a profound impact on KNX’s journey into the IoT era, enabling smarter, more connected environments through:

- IoT integration: The KNX IoT Standard is now published, offering manufacturers a clear framework to develop their own IoT-enabled KNX solutions, ensuring interoperability and future-proofing building automation in preparation of Web3 and Industry 4.0.
- Semantic capabilities: The KNX Information Model (KIM) embeds semantic intelligence into the KNX ecosystem. This creates a more intuitive and natural control of building automation systems via simple commands.
- Developer empowerment: The KNX IoT core library simplifies interactions with KNX IoT systems. As it is integrated into KNX’s ETS and MT software, it’s accessible to developers without deep expertise in the full standard.
- Proof of concept influence: Our PoC gateway device has inspired other manufacturers to create their own solutions, driving widespread adoption of the KNX IoT standard.