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kap — home automation

Architecture and planning documents for the house automation system: a KNX wired backbone, Home Assistant as the supervision layer, and a custom AI assistant on top.

This is the project draft: the design as decided so far, meant to be shared with contractors and designers. It records only confirmed facts and decisions; open items are marked TBD.

Context

  • House renovation in progress; walls are currently open — wall-dependent decisions are on the critical path.
  • The house will have warm floors and air conditioning (details TBD).

System layers

Decided. Base functions run on the bus; the server layer is optional on top — the house must stay fully livable with HA offline.

  • KNX — wired backbone: wall controls, and room-level control loops.
  • Home Assistant — supervision layer on top of KNX (coordination, schedules, dashboards, remote access).
  • Custom AI assistant — integrated into HA; intent/conversation layer.
  • Exact layer boundary per subsystem: TBD — to be agreed with both integrators.

People and ownership

  • Two integrators: one for KNX, one for HA; they know each other.
  • Owner will learn ETS and take over HA development, including the AI assistant.
  • Handover requirements (ETS project file, HA config in Git, naming conventions): TBD — to be fixed contractually.

Document map

Document Contents
subsystems/wall-controls.md Jung KNX wall controls: three-tier operating concept, mounting and frame conventions, finishes
subsystems/climate.md temperature regulation model, AC equipment and control pattern, warm floors
subsystems/voice.md voice/AI satellite mission, provisioning principles and positions, hardware criteria
subsystems/presence.md presence detection: PIR for circulation zones, mmWave candidates for sit-still rooms
subsystems/lighting.md DALI backbone, facade lighting, plug-in lamp rule
subsystems/shading.md blinds, curtains, awnings
subsystems/ventilation.md HRV units, extractor fans, the HA-owned control loop
subsystems/water-safety.md leak sensors, shut-off valve
rooms/README.md per-room device inventory (zones 1–22 + exterior zones)
rooms/house-model.md spatial model: structure, adjacency, orientation, exterior openings
positions/index.md consolidated switch / controller position register: position codes, wet-room rule, room/zone summaries, full position entries, diagrams, and pending candidates
diagrams/ SVG schematics referenced from the position register

Reading the diagrams

  • Frame/unit schematics: the outer rounded rectangle is the switch frame; inner rectangles are modules and buttons, each labeled with its point functions.
  • Color code: lights = amber, exterior lights = blue, blinds/mechanics = teal, scenes/climate = purple, reserved = neutral gray.
  • Dashed outline = conditional or reserved (not yet confirmed); solid = confirmed.
  • TBD on a button means the unit itself is decided but that button's function isn't assigned yet.