A Medieval Castle at the Sea

• Lighting: Switching , Dimming , Light Scenes , Timed Control , Automatic Occupancy Detection , Constant Light Control , Lighting Colour Control
• Heating, Ventilation & Air conditioning (HVAC): Central & Automatic Control , Timed Operation Modes , Automatic Occupancy Detection , Weather Dependent Control , Individual Room Control / Zone Control , Valve Drive Control / Fan Coil Control , Natural Ventilation , Floor Heating Control , Boiler and burner Control
• Blind and Shutter Control: Individual Control , Group & Central Control , Preset Positioning , Automatic Programs , Sun Tracing (interaction with HVAC / lighting)
• Security and Safety: Smoke/Fire Detection , Faults (e.g. Leak Detection, Glass Break Detection, Window Contacts) , Access Control , Intrusion Detection / Alarm Systems , Emergency Lighting , Supervision (e.g. Cameras) , Interaction with HVAC/Lighting
• Operation and Visualisation: Switches / Push Buttons , Web Servers , Tablets and smart phones
• Automation and Remote Access: Timed Functions , Logical Functions , System Supervision , Internet Access , Remote Programming , Messaging (e.g. SMS)
• Energy Management/Smart Metering: Metering , Data Logging , Visualisation , Current Detection , Fuel or Water tank level control , Peak Demand Monitoring , Load Shedding , Energy Harvesting (Avoiding use of batteries) , Use of Renewable Energies
• Other: Irrigation Control

In this project a university professor as one of the owners and his student reunited as engineers to provide a solution. After hundreds of hours spent in research labs with his professor and after 30 years the student had to pass exams again. The knowledge he was taught, and the KNX as tool composed an unbeatable formula. The challenge was to implement all the functions with the minimum cabling because the building is a real castle even to its inside. Full of stones and narrow corridors there was no room for heavy cabling. DALI for lighting bus control and sensing along with lot of wireless was the only solution. Power management for this "beast" was a must and the recent developments of energy cost pushed the decision for a "green castle". Solar and geothermal energy along with electrically controlled translucent and trans reflective windows actively controlled by a custom energy management application was the solution. Now the student expects the exams results for once more.