“Italy KNX Award 2014”: Awarded the best KNX projects
Friday, November 14th the Awards of the best KNX projects in the context of the Stazione Leopolda in Florence took place, under the “KNX Day 2014“; now in its fourth edition, it is more and more consolidated as a reference of the italian KNX community and a showcase of the best Italian KNX projects made in our country.
This moment of celebration of the KNX technology, but also of many qualified professionals working in the field, is in fact a “thermometer” that during these four years has measured the evolution of the KNX market, the growing interest of operators along throughout the supply chain, the significant spread of KNX projects in Italy in the disparate areas applied.
The Jury examined the projects presented and its accompanying documentation, adopting different evaluation criteria, including:
- number and type of KNX functions implemented
- level of integration realized and multiplicity of integrated plants
- containment energy consumption and integration with renewable solutions
- sustainability, feasibility, context and visibility of intervention
- clarity and quality of the documentation submitted
In addition to the five best KNX projects that stood out in terms of innovation and excellence realization in 5 categories, the Jury decided to award a special mention to a project which is distinguished by the particular context and the benefits from the use of KNX in such environment.
- KNX BEST PROJECT FOR ACCOMMODATION
PROJECT NAME: B&B Atticus e Nuova Opera *
The B&B Atticus, located in Verona, is a completion of wood, arranged on two floors and derived from the dismantling and reconstruction of the sixth floor of the building. This innovative facility has gained the appreciation of the Jury for the large plant integration of various functions realized in KNX, but also for the attention to environmental sustainability and energy, combined with architectural choices and context of absolute value. Through KNX automation the structure actually is self-managed and self-regulating, both in the interaction with customers, both in its daily operations. The B&B Atticus represents a virtuous example of integrated design approach of building and technology.
- KNX BEST PROJECT FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PROJECT NAME: Scuola dell’infanzia S.S. Innocenti di Sandrà (Castelnovo del Garda VR)
The construction of the new building came from the effort of Castelnuovo del Garda Municipality and from effective collaboration with the private sector. The Jury gives credit to the high level of integration of the project, the completeness of the plant design and in particular the solutions adopted in terms of sustainability and energy saving. Through the KNX automation system was possible to integrate lighting, temperature control, airing classrooms, interaction between systems, supervision of the entire system from the local touch panel as well as remotely via web access. The Scuola dell’infanzia S.S. Innocenti is a role model, demonstrating in practice the possibility of modern buildings, energy performance and sustainable.
- KNX SPECIAL MENTION
PROJECT NAME: Acquario di Genova
The Acquario of Genova in 2013 has participated in the European Illuminate pilote project for the reduction of energy consumption, which led to the replacement of 500 luminaires with other with LED technology. The choice of KNX for the management of the lighting system has helped to substantially improve the overall energy efficiency; the objectives achieved were an improvement of lighting inside the tanks and on the route, with the ability to more easily vary the color, intensity of light depending on the needs of the public and animal, and to significantly reduce the energy consumption of 54 % approximately.
- KNX BEST PROJECT FOR SOCIAL
PROJECT NAME: Mediclinic
Mediclinic is a health facility, located in Pozzonovo (PD), which covers an area of 7,000 square meters, which is distinguished by the modernity of the technologies used; it is considered by the Jury an example of how KNX automation allows to manage complex situations. The KNX project is characterized by the high number of KNX devices used (737 employees on 11 lines). The using of KNX proved the optimal choice for effective management of lighting, security, access, and not least, for adequate supervision and management of the complexity of the environments that characterize the building, ensuring maximum quality and comfort for patients, visitors, workers, in different areas of the building.
- KNX BEST PROJECT FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
PROJECT NAME: BEAMS – Università del Salento
BEAMS – Buildings Energy Advanced Management System – is a European project, funded under the 7th Programma quadro, of which results of technology have been tested and validated in two different sites: the Camp Nou in Barcelona and buildings belonging to the Facoltà di Ingegneria del Campus of Università del Salento. In this project, the Jury decided to award recognition, appreciating the high level of KNX integration and attention to comfort and sustainability in the development of realization. KNX was the winning choice for the wide flexibility, which allowed integration with existing systems, without prior reconstruction or reconfiguration. KNX has been applied on various features: from lighting to climate control, security monitoring of consumption, the control of energy production systems.
- KNX BEST NATIONAL PROJECT
PROJECT NAME: Fortezza Viscontea
The Jury awards the prize to the Fortezza Viscontea project, a unique achievement that has the merit of combining the efficiency and modernity of the technology with the needs and the necessary safeguards of a historic building. The Fortress, also used as a hotel, required to implement all the necessary features of the accomodation facility: despite the very special context, which covers 12,000 square meters more than 2500 square meters of yard area, the project is characterized by over 463 KNX devices distribuited on 9 lines, with a level of KNX integration and handled functionality particularly relevant: lighting, climate, security, audio / video distribution, supervision and remote management. The Fortezza Viscontea must be national recognition this year demonstrating the applicability of KNX in peculiar contexts.