By Sara Fan
KNX returned to Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), bringing the global KNX ecosystem to one of the most important meeting points for AV and smart building professionals.
ISE 2026 took place at the Gran Fira, Barcelona, 3 – 6 February 2026. The show once again confirmed a clear industry direction: systems are converging. Visitors came looking for solutions that connect AV, building automation, energy management and digital services – and KNX was right at the centre of that conversation.
A strong KNX presence in Hall 2
Located directly at the main entrance of Hall 2, the 280m² open-concept KNX booth was a focal point of the show. Designed as an immersive experience, the stand stayed busy from day one, attracting a mix of long-time KNX professionals and AV specialists eager to explore deeper building integration.
The heart of KNX has always been its people. A key highlight of ISE 2026 was the KNX community, which continues to drive innovation and keep KNX thriving after decades of growth.
The KNX ecosystem in action
The goal of the booth was simple: to show the strength of KNX in real life, not just in theory. Across the stand, KNX emphasised:
• Interoperability across manufacturers and systems.
• KNX as a foundation for scalable, future-proof projects.
• Strong relevance for AV integration and cross-discipline collaboration.
• Focus areas such as energy management, cybersecurity, IoT integration, and multi-system interoperability.
Innovation through diversity: 22 Members showcasing
A major highlight was the participation of 22 KNX Member manufacturers. Together, they created a true ‘ecosystem feeling,’ allowing visitors to see new product launches and compare solutions for both residential and commercial applications.
Key visitor interests
In addition, certain topics consistently stood out in discussions at the KNX booth, including:
• Energy efficiency and building performance, with many visitors searching for practical ways to reduce consumption while improving comfort.
• Cybersecurity, as digital risk in building infrastructure becomes a bigger concern.
• AV and building automation convergence, especially relevant for ISE’s audience, where KNX stood out as a powerful open standard for long-term integration.
Celebrating 36 years of excellence
The energy peaked during the KNX booth party, where the community gathered to celebrate 36 years of the standard. Beyond networking, the event featured interactive games, where nine lucky winners took home KNX prizes and products sponsored by our members.
KNX at the Smart Building Summit
The influence of KNX extended beyond the booth. Joost Demarest, CTO of KNX Association, joined a high-level panel at the Smart Building Summit to discuss unlocking building value through sustainability and future-proof technologies. His insights highlighted how KNX is defining the next generation of smart architecture.
Key takeaways
The key takeaways from the show were:
• Interoperability is essential for future-ready buildings.
• Energy performance and cybersecurity are now core priorities.
• AV and building automation convergence is accelerating fast.
• ETS, being the manufacturer-independent software tool used to design, configure, and debug KNX installations, remains a major differentiator for professional KNX projects.
• The KNX ecosystem continues to prove its strength through its community and manufacturer diversity.
Summary
ISE 2026 was a strong success for KNX, with high visitor engagement, strong exhibitor participation, and clear interest in interoperability, ETS, and real-world integration across systems.
Whilst the show provided an incredible preview, the biggest milestones of the year are still to come. We look forward to seeing you at Light + Building 2026, where KNX will unveil its most significant releases yet – including the new KNX website, new ETS updates, and groundbreaking KNX AI solutions.
Sara Fan is responsible for Marketing at KNX Association.
Missed ISE 2026? Check out the videos and pictures from the show days here:
