Glossary
The vocabulary of home automation, explained simply
KNX, bus, actuator, scene, BMS… The words of the connected home without jargon, so you understand what's being discussed and choose with confidence.
Understand before you decide
Home automation has its own vocabulary — often technical, sometimes marketing. This glossary gathers the terms you'll meet in a quote or a conversation about KNX, each defined in a few sentences and without needless jargon.
It's meant as a starting point: every definition stays deliberately short and links to our detailed pages where the topic deserves it.
The KNX system
- KNX
- A worldwide, open standard for building automation (ISO/IEC 14543-3). All KNX-certified devices, whatever their manufacturer, communicate over the same network without depending on a brand or a proprietary cloud.
- KNX TP (wired)
- The most common, wired KNX variant. A dedicated bus cable (twisted pair) links every device: the most robust and durable solution, ideal in new builds or heavy renovations.
- KNX RF (wireless)
- The wireless KNX variant. Devices communicate by radio, with no bus cable to pull — useful in light renovations or to add an isolated point (a shutter, a switch) without cutting into walls.
- Bus
- The communication network shared by all KNX devices. Each device connects to it and exchanges short messages; there is no single central unit whose failure would stop the whole house.
- Telegram
- The elementary message travelling on the KNX bus (for example “switch this circuit on” or “shutter to 50 %”). Devices send each other telegrams according to the programming.
The components
- Actuator
- A module that carries out a command: it switches a circuit (lighting, socket), drives a shutter motor or a heating valve. It's usually installed in the electrical panel, on a DIN rail.
- Sensor / detector
- A device that measures or detects information (temperature, presence, brightness, opening) and emits it onto the bus to trigger an action.
- Dimmer
- An actuator that sets a light's intensity instead of simply switching it on or off, to create moods and reduce consumption.
- DIN-rail module
- The form factor of KNX devices installed in the electrical panel (actuators, power supplies). Concentrating the intelligence in the panel makes maintenance and future upgrades easier.
- Bus power supply
- The unit that provides the low voltage the KNX bus needs to operate (≈ 29 V DC). It's essential and separate from the 230 V supply that feeds the electrical loads.
Design & programming
- ETS
- Engineering Tool Software: the official and only software for configuring a KNX installation, across all brands. Mastery of ETS is what distinguishes a certified integrator from a mere installer.
- Group address
- The logical “label” that links a sensor to the actuator it controls. Programming KNX is largely about defining these links, independently of the physical wiring.
- Topology (line / area)
- The hierarchical organisation of a KNX installation into lines and areas connected by couplers. It structures the network of large installations and keeps bus traffic reliable.
- Gateway
- A device that lets KNX talk to another world: IP/Wi-Fi for remote control, DALI, Modbus or voice assistants. It opens the installation without compromising its wired core.
Everyday functions
- Scene
- A stored setting that acts on several devices in one gesture: a “Cinema” scene lowers the shutters, dims the lights and cuts certain sockets at the same time.
- Presence simulation
- A function that automatically replays lighting and shutter movements while you're away, to suggest an occupied home and deter intrusions.
- Visualisation / supervision
- An interface (wall screen, app, dashboard) that shows the installation's state and lets you control it. In KNX it stays optional: the system works even without it, through the physical controls.
- Room-by-room control
- Controlling heating and cooling zone by zone, with set points and time schedules specific to each room, rather than a single thermostat for the whole home.
Ecosystem & alternatives
- Home automation
- The set of technologies that automate and coordinate a home's functions: lighting, shutters, heating, security, energy.
- Smart home
- A home whose devices communicate to deliver comfort, security and energy savings. The term covers both isolated gadgets and, as with KNX, an integrated and coherent system.
- BMS
- Building Management System: centralised supervision of a building's technical equipment (lighting, HVAC, energy, access). KNX is the most common foundation for it in small and mid-sized commercial buildings.
- Open vs proprietary standard
- An open standard (KNX) guarantees interoperability between manufacturers and the longevity of the installation; a proprietary system locks the user into a single brand and its cloud.
- Matter
- A recent interoperability standard for consumer connected devices (Wi-Fi/Thread). Complementary to KNX, it can be linked via a gateway, but it doesn't aim for the same wired robustness at building scale.
- DALI
- A protocol dedicated to lighting control, notably in professional settings. It's often paired with KNX via a gateway to finely manage large fleets of luminaires.
- Loxone
- A proprietary home-automation system competing with KNX, built on centralised logic. Powerful and integrated, but tied to a single manufacturer — whereas KNX stays multi-brand and standardised.
A term still unclear? Let's talk.
We'll explain, without jargon, what matters for your project — at a free first meeting.