DALI
fine lighting control, no limits.
DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is the standard protocol for fine control of lighting. Individual addressing of every light source, 256-step dimming, editable scenes. It coexists perfectly with KNX — we use both when you want professional lighting.
DALI bus · scene lighting
For lighting, KNX alone is not enough.
KNX is excellent for on/off, basic dimming and scenes — for most residential projects it is all you need. But when you want professional lighting with dozens of independent sources, 256-step dimming and complex scenes that can be edited quickly, DALI is the right protocol.
DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is an IEC 62386 standard for fine lighting control. Every luminaire has its own address and its own dimming. A DALI line can carry 64 devices, grouped into 16 editable scenes.
DALI-2 (the current version) adds colour control, sensor integration and support for emergency lighting. All DALI-2 certified devices work together, whichever manufacturer made them.
Four scenarios where DALI beats KNX.
For basic lighting, KNX is enough. But in these cases, DALI is the right answer.
Open-plan living + kitchen
20+ independent light sources: spots, pendants, under-cabinet, decorative. With DALI you address each one separately. With KNX you group them into 4-5 zones.
Restaurant / commercial space
Complex scenes that are edited quickly: morning vs lunch vs evening. DALI has scenes pre-programmed per device, with instant recall.
Gallery / art house
Lighting that accentuates objects: very fine dimming (256 steps), individual control per source, integration with presence sensors.
Tunable colour temperature
Tunable white or RGB: DALI controls both the intensity and the colour of every luminaire. KNX cannot do that natively.
DALI does not replace KNX. You put them together.
DALI-KNX gateway
A DALI-KNX gateway device bridges the two buses. You command DALI through KNX scenes, or directly from a touch panel that speaks both protocols.
Lighting → DALI, the rest → KNX
The most common architecture: scene lighting on DALI, everything else (climate, blinds, audio, security) on KNX. Two buses, one unified system at app level.
Standalone DALI
For purely commercial spaces (restaurant, gallery), DALI can run independently without KNX. But for residential, KNX holds everything else.
What does the technology look like at your scale?
Nine model configurations — from a two-room apartment to a guesthouse — with concrete features and equipment. Romanian pages.