A Smart Media Workplace Built on KNX
The new NDR broadcasting center in Kiel, Germany, stands as a modern office and media building with 8,700 m² of rental space designed for the cross-media working world of the future.
The building automation, implemented by onework GmbH, is built on 652 KNX devices that intelligently network the building’s central functions and make them scalable across the entire facility.
An Open Platform, Not a Closed System
What makes this project particularly noteworthy is how KNX serves as the integration backbone. Rather than operating as an isolated automation system, it couples with DALI, BACnet, Modbus, M-Bus, and SMI technologies to unify lighting, presence detection, room automation, shading, and interface functions into a single open automation platform.
This integration with industrial protocols like BACnet and Modbus demonstrates KNX’s capability to act as an integration layer in complex, multi-technology buildings — a quality that sets it apart in large-scale commercial projects.
A Wide Range of Applications
The scope of automation in this building goes well beyond basic lighting control. The KNX system manages:
- Lighting — switching, dimming, scene control, time-based operation, automatic occupancy detection, constant light control, and color control
- HVAC — central automatic control, timed operating modes, occupancy-based adjustment, zone and room-level control, valve and fan coil control, CO₂ and humidity measurement, natural ventilation, underfloor heating, and boiler control
- Shading — individual and central control, preset positioning, automatic programs, wind and rain protection, and daylight tracking that interacts with both HVAC and lighting
- Security — smoke and fire detection, access control, intrusion detection, emergency lighting, presence simulation, and interaction with HVAC and lighting systems
- Operation and Visualization — switches, push buttons, PC visualization, web server access, and touch panel display platforms
- Automation and Remote Access — logic functions, system supervision, network access, and remote programming
- Energy Management — metering, data logging, visualization, current detection, peak demand monitoring, intermittent supply, energy harvesting, and integration of renewable energy sources
Energy Efficiency Through Smart Automation
The project reflects a broader principle in building automation: that intelligent use of KNX can deliver significant energy savings.
Extended KNX applications across multiple functions and scenarios can achieve up to 60% energy savings. Because of KNX’s high flexibility, these functions can be implemented easily within the installation.
Built for the Future
For a media organization like NDR, flexibility is essential. The automation platform supports changing office layouts, varying occupancy patterns, and the diverse technical demands of a cross-media working environment.
The result is a building that is efficient to operate, comfortable for its users, and future-proof in its design.
A Collaborative Effort
The project brought together a range of KNX manufacturers, including onework GmbH, MDT technologies, ABB, WAREMA, Elsner Elektronik, Steinel, CODESYS, BOKE Drivers, and Schüco International.
This multi-brand collaboration is a testament to KNX’s core promise: products carrying the KNX logo communicate perfectly together, giving integrators confidence that they are working with reliable, interoperable technology.
Source: KNX Projects Database / onework GmbH