Short answer: If lighting and shades are the main scope, Lutron HomeWorks is a strong choice, especially when your dealer already knows the system. If you are planning a new build or major renovation and want lighting, shades and climate to work together on an open, multi-brand system, put KNX on the table before the wiring and wall boxes are specified.
When I came to the US, dealers often told me they liked the idea of KNX and then asked, “Why would I change?” It is a fair question. You can keep serving your Lutron clients and start with one project where KNX solves a specific problem. At Smart Building Solutions, we design and commission KNX systems, and we help dealers plan that first job.
This article is for dealers, architects and interior designers. We sell KNX, so we are not neutral. Please read it with that in mind.
Why dealers stay with Lutron
Dealers stay for good reasons. Lutron offers its pros 24/7 technical support, and local reps who help with design, programming and first installs. Moving to KNX means new training, new products and a new way of planning, and nobody wants to learn a new system on a client’s luxury home. Clients also ask for what they know, few KNX specialists work nearby, and dealers trust what they already sell, including Lutron shades and Ketra lighting.
KNX vs Lutron HomeWorks QSX
| Lutron HomeWorks QSX | KNX | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | One manufacturer’s own system | Open standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3) used by many manufacturers |
| Main focus | Built around lighting and shades, with thermostats. Connects to other systems for the rest | Lighting, shades, heating, ventilation, metering and more on one system |
| Lighting | Lutron dimming and Ketra, plus DALI-2 modules with DT8 tunable white | KNX dimmers, or DALI through a KNX gateway, coordinated with shades, climate and other building functions |
| How it works | Runs through a central processor | Each device holds its own logic, connected by a shared bus cable |
| Who can buy and program it | Qualified dealers | ETS, the KNX software, can be licensed by anyone |
| Keypads | Lutron’s own designs | Many makers and designs, including JUNG, Basalte, CORE, Lithoss, GVS and Zennio |
| Support | 24/7 technical support and local reps | Depends on the manufacturer and your local KNX partner |
| US listings | Made for the US market | UL or ETL marks must be checked product by product |
Existing homes: Lutron RadioRA 3 is a separate wireless system that suits retrofits. KNX is usually wired, so it fits new builds and open walls best.
Neither column wins everywhere. KNX becomes interesting when the owner wants one open system for more of the building, a wider choice of keypads, or freedom from one manufacturer.
A real project: 257 apartments
| Type | Luxury residential, multiple dwelling units |
| Size | 230,000 sq ft, 257 apartments, 1 to 4 bedrooms |
| Controlled on KNX | Dimmed lighting, motorized blinds, underfloor heating, fan coil cooling and ventilation |
| Delivery | One control panel per apartment, tested and commissioned off site |
This project was outside the USA, so codes and products were different, but it shows how flexible KNX can be.
An MEP engineer took KNX training with our company. The project he was working on was already two months into a conventional electrical installation. After the training, he asked us whether all of it could change to KNX.
We said yes. We met the electrician, and the conventional installation stopped. No drawings had been issued yet, so the crew could still wire for KNX. We went to the site with rolls of KNX cable and showed the crew how to run the lights, keypads and apartment HVAC. A month later, we delivered all the drawings.
Each apartment then received its own control panel, already tested and commissioned off site. On site, the panel only had to be installed, connected and verified. For a developer, that means far less commissioning work in the building.
For architects and engineers: who does what
A Building Management System, or BMS, is the system that runs the technical side of a building. KNX can cover the building functions of a home or apartment project on one system: lighting, shading, heating, ventilation and metering. On large commercial sites, KNX often works at room level and connects to the main BMS through BACnet.
You can then add Crestron, Control4 or Savant on top, for the touch screens, the app and the audio and video. KNX runs the building, and the AV system talks to it. This needs a gateway or driver and some setup, and it gives each trade a clear role:
- The electrical contractor installs KNX as the building system.
- The KNX System Integrator sets it up in ETS.
- The AV integrator adds the control layer and the entertainment.
Lutron also works with these AV systems, so the top layer is not the difference. The difference is what sits underneath. An integrator can keep an AV business and Lutron clients, and add KNX on the projects where it fits.
For interior designers: the detail on every wall
Switches and keypads are usually the one detail left to the electrician, yet clients see and touch them every day. With KNX, you choose from many makers and finishes, such as brass, bronze, stone, glass and leather.
You can plan the keypads yourself in our online switch designers, then send your client a picture and a parts list. Please choose early, before the wall boxes go in, so the architect and electrician can plan for your design.
Six KNX brands, and how they fit Lutron and Crestron projects
At Smart Building Solutions we carry six premium KNX brands: JUNG, Basalte, CORE, Lithoss, GVS and Zennio. They include premium keypads made in Germany and Belgium.
Two things are easy to mix up. First, some keypad models come in system-specific versions. Basalte Sentido, for example, is offered in KNX and Crestron Cresnet versions, and Basalte lists it as compatible with Lutron, so the right version must be specified for the project.
Second, a project that combines KNX with HomeWorks or Crestron needs an integration designed and tested for the exact hardware and functions. A Basalte Core server is one way to link KNX and HomeWorks, and a KNX gateway is the usual link to Crestron. A KNX keypad does not simply plug into another system.
What “open” means for owners and dealers
With KNX, a keypad or sensor from one manufacturer can work with products from another, and a trained KNX System Integrator can take over a project. Owners can also choose a different keypad design later. It needs programming in ETS, but it does not mean replacing the whole system.
That freedom depends on the handover. At the end of a KNX project, the owner should receive:
- The final ETS project export, a .knxproj file
- The project password, where one is used
- The as-built drawings
Architects can write these three items into the specification. Some dealers will see this as a risk, because a client can change installer. I see it differently. Good service keeps clients, and being able to offer KNX can open the door to projects you do not reach today.
What KNX still has to prove in the US
- Listings: some products carry UL or ETL marks and others do not. Buying a product does not guarantee approval, so please check with your local inspector, the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), before you order.
- Support: dealers need a real person to call. With us, that is our team in Las Vegas, at +1 702-344-6214.
- Familiarity: few US clients know the name, so dealers need something to show them.
- Software cost: ETS6 lists at about EUR 1,000 for Professional, EUR 350 for Home (one project, up to 64 devices) and EUR 200 for Lite (up to 20 devices per project), before tax. Please check KNX for current prices. It is a real cost, but small next to one project. KNX Virtual, a free KNX Association tool, lets anyone practice without hardware.
A low risk way to try KNX
You do not have to leave Lutron, and you do not have to start on a client’s home.
- Come to our Las Vegas showroom. See KNX working at 6738 W Sunset Rd, and press the keypads yourself. KNX USA has named our JUNG showroom in Las Vegas among its examples of KNX in the US. You can also see JUNG at AV Luxury Group in Las Vegas.
- Join a KNX Intro and Coffee. It is free, on Tuesdays from 10 to 12, with at most 8 people.
- Take the training when you want to go further.
- Start with your own show house. Ask us about a special offer to fit it out. Your clients can then see and touch KNX before they choose it.
- Plan the first job with us. Smart Building Solutions can help with planning and programming, so you are not alone on your first project.
Michael Seeland, Smart Building Solutions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between KNX and Lutron?
Lutron is one manufacturer’s own system, built around lighting and shades. KNX is an open standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3) used by many manufacturers. It can run lighting, shading, heating, ventilation and metering on one system.
Is KNX available in the United States?
Yes. KNX is used in the US in commercial buildings, universities and high-end homes, although it is still growing. Product choice is smaller than in Europe, so check each product early. Smart Building Solutions supplies KNX products from Las Vegas.
Are KNX products UL listed?
Some are and some are not, so check each product. Some products carry UL or ETL marks, and buying a product does not guarantee approval. Please confirm with your local inspector, the AHJ, before you order.
Is KNX cheaper than Lutron?
There is no single answer, because it depends on the project. KNX needs bus cable, devices and programming, so a small retrofit can cost more than a wireless system. Compare the same scope for the whole project, and include future changes as well as the first installation.
Can KNX and Lutron work together?
Yes. We know of no official Lutron KNX driver, but a Basalte Core server connects to both, so a Lutron HomeWorks system and a KNX system can work together. It can also bring in Crestron. Test the exact setup before you promise it to a client, and ask us about your project.
What does it cost to start with KNX?
The main costs are time and training, plus ETS software. ETS6 lists at EUR 200 to EUR 1,000 before tax, depending on project size, and KNX Virtual is free for practice. Our KNX Intro and Coffee in Las Vegas is free, so that is an easy first step.
Can a homeowner change keypads or installers later?
Usually yes, if the system is KNX and the owner has the ETS project export, any project password and the as-built drawings. A new keypad must be compatible and needs programming in ETS by a trained KNX System Integrator.
Is KNX a BMS?
KNX can do the job of a BMS in a home or apartment project, because it covers lighting, shading, heating, ventilation and metering on one system. On large commercial sites, it often works at room level and connects to the main BMS through BACnet.
Can I use Crestron, Control4 or Savant with KNX?
Yes. Crestron offers a KNX gateway and Control4 has a KNX driver. Savant has also published KNX integration guidance, so ask about your version. Each needs setup, and the KNX System Integrator must share the project data with the AV integrator.
Lutron, HomeWorks, RadioRA and Ketra are trademarks of their owners. Smart Building Solutions is not affiliated with Lutron.