The KNX Standard :: International Standardisation Bodies
Standards and certified products conforming to standards are an important asset of to-day's society. Both ensure that users and/or consumers interested in specific technologies may choose from a variety of products from different manufacturers as they are certain that they will get the expected features.
In addition, the authorities, in particular the European Union, have identified standards as an important means for enhancing the protection of human beings and the environment.
In line with the common policy of the three legacy partners, BatiBUS, EIBA and EHSA, it has been the objective since the beginning that KNX becomes an international standard, in the interest of users and consumers on the one hand but also in the interest of ensuring a broad market for the members on the other hand. Home & Building Electronic System (HBES) standardisation activities were initiated in the late 1980's in CENELEC/TC 105 (renumbered later to TC 205) and in ISO/IEC JTC1/SC25/WG1.
In parallel, CEN/TC 247 has been standardising for 10 years, “Controls For Mechanical Building Services”.
The previous figure gives an overview of these different standards bodies, the work of which has to be taken into consideration under KNX Association standardisation activities.
Whilst internationally little results have been achieved, CENELEC/TC 205 has issued in 1995 the first parts of the EN 50090 set on Home and Building Electronic Systems. Part 2-2 in particular, has become very important as it puts forward the technical requirements such products have to meet under the Low Voltage Directive and the EMC Directive of the EU. Moreover, a substantial set of technical reports has been issued. In addition the sub-committee SC 205A plays an important role in the standardisation of requirements for Powerline Communication.
In 1998, CEN/TC 247 in turn published the ENV 13154 Part 2 on Data Communication for HVAC Application Field-Net protocols, containing the separate BatiBUS, EIB and the EHSA protocol requirements.
As one of the consequences of joining forces in the framework of KNX Association, on the 5th June 2000 a Cooperation Agreement was concluded between KNX Association and CENELEC. By means of this Cooperation Agreement, KNX Association, constituted by its members, achieves a privileged role within the framework of European standardisation. Thereby KNX Association is able to directly supply to European standardisation, the requirements requested by all groups involved in the economic process in the HBES field such as consumers, crafts, service providers and industry.
In June 2003 the national standardisation committees of CENELEC TC 205 voted positively during the Unique Acceptance Procedure on the following standard parts :
- EN 50090-3-2 corresponding to the KNX Application Interface Layer
- EN 50090-4-1 corresponding to the KNX Application Layer
- EN 50090-4-2 corresponding to the KNX Network, Transport and Link Layer (general part)
- EN 50090-7-1 corresponding to the KNX Management Procedures
- EN 50090-5-2 corresponding to the KNX TP medium
In December 2003 the CENELEC Technical Committee ratified the positive voted documents to become the first international standard for Home and Building Control, a standard to which KNX fully complies. Later in 2004, the EN 50090-5-1 corresponding to the KNX PL medium, was also positively voted by the national committees and ratified by the CENELEC Technical Board. In 2006, also the KNX RF medium was positively voted and included as Part 5-3 into the EN 50090 series.
Thanks to the co-ordination between CEN and CENELEC, in the course of 2006 it was also possible to have the KNX Standard approved by CEN as EN 13321-1, a standard which actually is a mere reference to EN 50090 but confirms the possibility to use KNX not only in Home and Building Electronic Systems but also in Building Automaton and Control Systems.
The KNXnet/IP specifications - specifying the transport of KNX messages in IP frames - is currently under vote as prEN 13321-2.
Very recently, this success was also copied on a world-wide level, when the medium independant KNX layers became an ISO/IEC standard as part of the ISO/IEC 14543 series.
The above clearly underlines the KNX is not just another industry standard but a Worldwide Standard for Home and Building Control.
