01
What is a KNX smart home, in plain words?
In a conventional apartment each switch is hard-wired to its own lamp. In KNX, keypads, touch panels and sensors send commands over a shared bus, and the actuators in the electrical panel switch the lights, move the blinds and open the heating valves. What controls what is set by the integrator when the system is programmed, so one press can start a whole scene.
Zennio contrasts KNX with low-cost DIY systems, smart plugs and buttons bought online: KNX brings control of the whole home into one system, from lighting, heating and air conditioning to blinds, ventilation and air purification, in one app and without depending on Wi-Fi[8].
How a KNX smart home is put together
Control
Z50 panelmain screen and intercom
Tecla RGB 55keypads in the rooms
Presentia C v2presence and light level- Smartphone and voiceZennio Remote and ZenVoice
Loads
- Lighting
- Curtains and blinds
- Heating
- Air conditioning
02
What can a KNX smart home do?
The functions are built from subsystems. First a short overview of each, then the details and the Zennio devices.
- Lighting
Relays, dimmers, LED strips and DALI. Master Light switches off all the lights with one command[8].
- Heating and air conditioning
HeatingBOX drives the heating valves[9], and air conditioners of eight brands connect through two-way KLIC gateways[2].
- Curtains and blinds
Scenes, schedules and positions; ShutterBOX Drive measures the travel time of AC motors by itself[10].
- Sensors and alarms
Presence, windows and doors; Z panels receive gas, smoke and flooding alarms from third-party sensors[2].
- Video intercom
Calls from GetFace IP and from Fermax, DoorBird, Comelit, Akuvox and 2N SIP intercoms are answered on Z panels[2].
- Music
AudioInRoom with Bluetooth[11] and Sonos speakers that become part of the scenes[8].
- Energy metering
KES Plus counts energy and costs by tariff[12], and unexpected consumption shows up in the app[8].
- Smartphone and voice
Zennio Remote on iOS, Android and in the browser; by voice through Alexa, Google Home, Yasmina and Alice[4].
Lighting
Lights are switched by multifunction actuators. For example, MAXinBOX 16 v4 has 16 outputs of 16 A that can be set as individual outputs, blind channels (up to 8) or 2-pipe fan coil control (up to 4)[13]. For smooth dimming there is the universal dimmer DIMinBOX DX4: 4 channels of 300 W at 230 V AC for resistive, inductive and capacitive loads and for dimmable LED and CFL lamps, with automatic load detection[14]. LED strips and DALI luminaires connect through the actuators of the Lighting category of our catalogue.
Heating and air conditioning
For water heating, HeatingBOX 230V 4X v2 controls four 230 V AC valves and has 4 thermostats and 4 analogue/digital inputs[9]. Air conditioners connect through KLIC gateways, two-way KNX interfaces for indoor units of Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, LG, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Panasonic, Samsung and Midea[2]. For example, KLIC-DD v3 for the Daikin residential range measures 39 × 39 × 14 mm and fits a junction or mounting box[15]. There is no KLIC gateway for Hisense in Zennio's 2026 catalogue[2].
Curtains, blinds and roller shutters
ShutterBOX Drive 4CH controls four curtain or blind channels, measures the travel time from the motor current (for AC motors) and supports KNX Data Secure[10]. Zennio makes no motors or curtain tracks: the actuator drives a third-party motor.
Security: door, window and presence sensors
Wired magnetic contacts connect to the inputs of panels and actuators: the surface-mounted magnetic contact is a normally open contact, with the magnet and the contact measuring 50 × 14 × 12 mm[16]. Where no cable can be laid, the wireless WinDoor RF v2 works on KNX RF at 868.3 MHz[17]; the radio segment joins the wired bus through a TP/RF media coupler such as ZMCoup RF 868[18]. The ceiling presence detector Presentia C v2, with a motion area of up to Ø 30 m, a presence area of Ø 10 m (at 2.7 m height) and a light sensor[19], switches the lights off in empty rooms. Z panels receive gas, smoke and flooding alarms[2], but Zennio does not make such detectors: third-party detectors with a dry contact are wired to the inputs of Zennio devices. IP cameras can be viewed in the app[8].
GetFace IP video intercom
GetFace IP is a modular IP video intercom for a house, an apartment building or an office: call buttons, a keypad, a touch display, an RFID card reader or Bluetooth access are added to the door station[2]. The basic unit with camera records at 1280 × 960 pixels, has infrared illumination and IP54 protection, and is powered over PoE (802.3af) or from 12 V DC[20]. Calls are answered on the Z50, Z70 and Z100 panels and on a smartphone: you see who is calling and can open the door[2]. The modules and accessories are in the GetFace Video Intercom category.
Music and multimedia
AudioInRoom is a KNX audio controller with Bluetooth 4.2 (up to two paired devices), a line input and two amplified channels, enough for music over Bluetooth in one or two rooms[11]. Zennio panels also integrate with Sonos speakers: playlists, volume and playback are available on the screen, and the music becomes part of the scenes[8].
Energy metering
KES Plus measures power and energy in a three-phase network with neutral or in three single-phase lines, estimates costs and CO₂ emissions and keeps cost counters for up to 6 tariffs[12]. KEM estimates electricity consumption of up to 3 circuits, water consumption on up to 4 channels and thermal energy of up to 2 modules[21]. The metering devices are in the Energy Efficiency category.
03
Which scenes can a smart home run?
A scene is a set of commands that runs at one press, on a schedule, on a sensor signal or by voice. Examples that Zennio gives for homes[8]:
- "Good night"
Turn off all the lights and lower the blinds[8].
- "Wake up"
At a set time, raise the blinds a little to let the morning light in[8].
- "Romantic evening"
Dim the lights with one command[8].
- Schedules
Raise the blinds at set hours, start the irrigation or the pool cleaning[8].
- Coming home
Turn on the heating or air conditioning from the app a few hours before you arrive[8].
- Child safety
Cut the power to selected sockets so that children cannot reach live parts[8].
- Deliveries while you are out
Answer the intercom on your smartphone and let the courier into a chosen area[8].
The Z50, Z70 v2 and Z100 panels can run up to 30 schedulers with up to 30 timed actions each, and the action times can be tied to sunrise and sunset[3].
04
How do you control it: panels, keypads, smartphone or voice?
The interfaces can be combined freely: a large screen in the living room, compact controllers with a thermostat in the bedrooms, familiar keypads at the doors. All of them control the same actuators.
Zennio control interfaces
| Interface | What it is | What Zennio's documentation says |
|---|---|---|
| Z50, Z70 v2, Z100 | Colour touch panels, 5″, 7″ and 10″ | 96 / 144 / 180 controls and indicators, 2 thermostats; app, video intercom and voice under licence |
| CX33, CX35, CX40, CX50 | Room controllers, 3.3–5″ | 54 / 54 / 54 / 96 controls, 2 thermostats, 4 inputs; CO₂ measurement with an accessory |
| Flat RGB 55 | Glass capacitive keypads, 55 × 55 mm | 1, 2, 4 or 6 touch areas with RGB backlight; thermostat, temperature and proximity sensors, 2 inputs |
| Tecla RGB 55 | Polycarbonate keypads, 55 × 55 mm | 1, 2, 4 or 6 areas with RGB backlight, own icons through Touch-MyDesign; thermostat, 2 inputs |
| ZS55 / ZS70 soft push buttons | Buttons that look like ordinary switches | A version for binary inputs and a KNX version wired straight to the bus; KNX Soft 70 — up to 4 press areas and a thermostat |
| Zennio Remote app | Control from a smartphone | Through the remote control licence of a Z panel, or through RemoteBOX / ZennIoT (100 controls, up to 240 with a licence) |
| ZenVoice | Voice control | Alexa, Google Home, Yasmina and Alice; a licence for Z50 / Z70 / Z100, no separate gateway (commands go through the assistant's app or a smart speaker) |
Z panels are the central screen of the home: climate, IP cameras, the video intercom, lights and blinds, voice control, scenes and schedules on one display[8]. The app repeats the panel's interface[2]. CX controllers replace an ordinary wall thermostat, with climate, lighting scenes and blinds on one screen[2]. All screens are in the Touch Panels category of our catalogue, keypads in Capacitive Touch Switches.
For remote access without a Z panel there is the DIN-rail RemoteBOX[26]; ZennIoT also works as a KNX-IP interface, with KNXnet/IP tunnelling for up to 10 connections and KNX IP Secure support[27]. ZenVoice is added as a licence to the Z50, Z70 and Z100 panels[2] and to RemoteBOX[26]; today ZenVoice is built into the Zennio Remote app[28].
05
What does a smart home system consist of?
Every KNX project is built from three groups of devices: system devices (bus power, the link to the IP network), actuators in the electrical panel, and controls and sensors in the rooms. The models and quantities come from the design, but the device classes are almost always the same.
Device classes and examples of Zennio models
| Device class | What it is for | Zennio example | From the documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KNX power supply | Powers the twisted-pair bus — TP devices do not work without it | KUPSupply 640mA | 640 mA, auxiliary 29 V DC output, 110–240 V AC input, 4.5 DIN units |
| KNX-IP router | Links the bus to the home network: programming, remote access | IP Router | Up to 10 simultaneous tunnelling connections and routing between TP and IP; KNX IP Secure; powered from the TP bus |
| All-in-one device | Bus power, IP interface, outputs and inputs in one housing | ALLinBOX 1612 v3 | 640 mA power supply, KNXnet/IP up to 5 connections, up to 16 outputs or 8 blind channels, 12 inputs, climate for up to 4 rooms |
| Multifunction actuator | Lights, sockets, blinds, fan coils | MAXinBOX 16 v4 | 16 outputs of 16 A: up to 16 individual outputs, 8 blind channels or 4 fan coils |
| Climate | Heating valves, air conditioners | HeatingBOX 230V 4X v2, KLIC-DD v3 | 4 outputs for 230 V AC valves and 4 thermostats; a gateway for the Daikin residential range |
| Sensors | Presence, doors and windows opening | Presentia C v2, magnetic contact | Motion Ø 30 m, presence Ø 10 m (at 2.7 m height); normally open magnetic contact |
| Remote access | Zennio Remote app and voice | RemoteBOX | 100 controls, up to 240 with a licence; 2 DIN units |
System devices such as power supplies, IP interfaces and line couplers are in the System category of our catalogue, and the actuators are in Actuators.
- Screen
- 5″, 480 × 854 pixels, capacitive touch[33]
- Controls and indicators
- 96 on standard pages[2]
- Thermostats / inputs
- 2 independent thermostats, 2 analogue/digital inputs[33]
- Functions under licence
- Remote control from the app, voice control, video intercom and internal calls[33]
- Power
- KNX bus + external 24–29 V DC supply (up to 225 mA at 24 V)[33]
- Dimensions
- 142.1 × 85.5 × 35 mm, protrudes 12 mm from the wall[33]
- Mounting
- Single back box of European, British, Italian, American or Australian standard[2]
What you need: an example for an apartment
- Panel licences
The video intercom with internal calls, remote control and voice are enabled by separate licences; voice also needs the remote control licence[3].
- Bedroom controller
A 3.5″ screen with a thermostat and temperature and humidity sensors, powered from the KNX bus alone[34].
- Electrical panel: bus power, IP and outputs
A 640 mA power supply, a KNX-IP interface for up to 5 connections, up to 16 outputs or 8 blind channels and 12 inputs in one housing[32].
- Intercom door station
A 1280 × 960 camera with infrared illumination, IP54 protection, power over PoE or from 12 V DC[20].
This is an illustration: the devices and their quantities are set by the integrator's design. You can draft a specification of Zennio equipment yourself in our configurator.
More devices for the home
- Z70 v2ZVIZ70V2A7" KNX IP capacitive touchscreen for advanced control - Anthracite
- Z100ZVIZ100A10" KNX IP capacitive touchscreen for advanced control - Anthracite
- ZS70ZS702PB4ADouble Soft push button for 4 binary inputs 70x70 mm - Anthracite
- MAXinBOX 16 v4ZIOMB16V4KNX multifunction actuator with KNX Secure - 16 outputs 16A
- Presentia C v2ZPDC30LV2AKNX presence detector with luminosity sensor for ceiling mounting - Anthracite
- RemoteBOXZSYRBOXDevice for remote control with Zennio Remote (100 controls, expandable to 240 with a licence)
- AudioInRoomZMU-AUIRKNX controller for audio with Bluetooth and auxiliary input. 2 amplified channels, 4 loudspeaker outputs
- KES PlusZIO-KESPKNX Electrical energy meter
06
How does a turnkey smart home project run?
"Turnkey" means that one contractor, a KNX integrator, runs the project from the brief to the handover. The stages are usually these:
- 1Brief
The owner describes the rooms, functions and scenes: what should switch on, where the panels go, whether an intercom, music or energy metering is needed.
- 2Design
The integrator chooses the devices and the topology. In ETS the requirements are collected room by room, certified devices of any brand are selected, and the topology and group addresses are set[35].
- 3Laying the bus during the renovation
The KNX TP bus is laid at the rough-in stage, and the system is fed by the mandatory KNX power supply[6]. Devices connect to the bus with a standard terminal for 0.8 mm solid wire[33]. The Z50, Z70 v2 and Z100 panels also need a 24–29 V DC supply[33][36][37], and Ethernet for the app and the video intercom[3]. Zennio's datasheets require installation by a qualified person in line with local regulations[33].
- 4Programming in ETS
The integrator imports the device data, sets the parameters and addresses and links the group objects[35]. Specialists get the KNX Partner certificate at certified KNX training centres[1]; the basic online ETS course on KNX eCampus is free[38].
- 5Commissioning and handover
The scenes are tested, the licences activated and the family shown how to use the system. Ask the integrator for the ETS project file: you will need it for any future changes.
07
Why KNX and not a wireless system?
- Open standard. More than 8,000 certified products from more than 500 manufacturers work across brands[1]. If one manufacturer leaves the market, the home can be supported with devices of others, Zennio notes[8].
- Local operation. Core functions run without a constant internet connection[1], and control does not depend on Wi-Fi[8].
- Reliability and scale. Zennio names robustness, security, freedom to choose manufacturers, modularity, scalability and interoperability as the strengths of KNX[7].
There are limits too: KNX needs the bus cable and a qualified specialist[7], so the system is planned at the design and renovation stage. Where a cable can no longer be laid, there is the KNX RF radio medium, which is compatible with the wired bus and makes retrofitting easier[6]. Zennio's RF range is small, though: the 2026 catalogue lists three KNX RF devices — the ZMCoup RF 868 media coupler, the WinDoor RF door/window sensor and the EyeZen RF 868 motion sensor[2] — and no RF actuators or RF switches, so keypads, panels and actuators still need the bus. When KNX is planned for a whole building rather than one home, see building automation on KNX.
08
Smart home in Almaty, Astana and across Kazakhstan
We are the official Zennio distributor in Kazakhstan. Our office is in Almaty, and we supply equipment across the country, to Astana, Shymkent and other cities. We help select the devices and prepare the specification, while design, installation and programming are done by KNX integrators.
The manufacturer is the Spanish company Zennio from Toledo[39]; more on the About Zennio page.
- Draft a specification in the smart home configurator.
- Send the floor plan of your apartment or house and the list of functions you want through contacts, and we will select Zennio equipment for the task.
- For installation and programming, turn to a KNX integrator; if you are an integrator yourself, write to us about working together.