If you have already started construction of your dream home or are just planning it, there are many very important decisions ahead of you. Don't forget important details such as the installation of lighting. You can install a classic electrical installation or a smart KNX installation.

Traditional lighting installation

Every electrical installation must include a switchboard and appropriate protection as defined by safety regulations. From the main distribution panel, wires are led to the sockets and to the light switches. From the switches, wires are connected to specific circuits for a light bulb, chandelier or wall lamp. With a given pushbutton we can switch a given circuit, e.g. with a pushbutton next to the stairs we can switch on the lighting above the stairs. We can use classic buttons, single, double, create cross or staircase circuits, such where we can switch on in one place and switch off in another. Such a traditional lighting installation is classic and any electrician is able to do it.

Smart lighting installation in KNX

The common points in a traditional and smart installation are the switchgear, protection and wiring. However, the typology is quite different. The wires are led in the switchboard directly to the sockets and to the lighting points: lamps, clinkers, chandelier, halogens. `

How to control a smart lighting?

A bus cable (green cable) is run to where you want to have the button, which lets you know which circuit, when and how you want to switch it on or off). This gives you the possibility to control all the lighting points from one place. From one panel, we can switch off the lights in the whole house, in parts of it, together or each circuit in turn. We can transfer the control of a particular light from button to button and, above all, we have the possibility of integrating the electrical system, e.g. an alert with an app on a phone, tablet or TV in the living room. In addition, the lighting installation can be interlocked in a simple way, e.g. the power supply of sockets with the installation of heating, recuperation, ventilation, alarm, monitoring, access control, i.e. we are creating a smart home, which you will read about here.

How much does it cost to install lighting?

At this stage, the question arises what is the cost of a classic installation vs. a KNX standard installation. A smart installation is approximately 20-30% more expensive than a classic installation. The cost involved in installing lighting depends, among other things, on the number of lighting points and switches, as well as the additional functions you want to have. So why is it worth paying more? The answer is quite simple. We lay the installation once for many years. We don't change it once in a while, so it's worth looking ahead. It is worth moving towards a smart installation, which will soon be standard, and which already offers the possibility of saving on electricity consumption and, above all, comfort and safety for you and your family.