Technical Information — Building Automation

LCN — Local Control Network: Building Control for Residential & Commercial Use

LCN is a powerful installation bus system by the manufacturer Issendorff. It replaces conventional electrical installation with decentralised intelligence — from single-family homes to large projects with up to 30,000 modules.

What is LCN?

The Local Control Network (LCN) is an installation bus for residential and commercial buildings. It takes over the functions of conventional electrical installation and extends them with control, regulation and monitoring: buildings become more convenient to operate, save energy on lighting and heating thanks to built-in intelligence, and can be monitored centrally via panels and visualisations.

The key difference from other bus systems: LCN uses a spare wire of an already installed NYM cable for data communication. No separate bus cable is required, and there is no central control unit — every module operates independently.

Key Benefits

No separate bus cable The data wire runs inside the NYM cable and is handled like any other wire — minimal wiring effort.	Decentralised intelligence No central unit needed: each module works on its own, without a separate power supply or dedicated feed.
Scalable up to 30,000 modules From a single home to large projects — expandable and retrofittable at any time, with no need for a full build-out from the start.	Many functions per module Sensors, actuators, timers, controllers, threshold and counting/calculation functions — control logic runs locally.
Three-stage acknowledgement & signalling Unique to LCN — the basis for high-end installations with comprehensive building monitoring.	Analogue measured values LCN modules capture and process analogue measurements, which can also be queried remotely.

Applications & Functions

LCN can be used to implement, among others, the following functions:

» Temperature control for energy savings
» Stairwell and indoor lighting based on daylight
» Light scenes: store and recall lighting moods
» Automatic shading, gates and blinds (e.g. weather-dependent)

» Time-controlled sequences running automatically
» Time recording and access control
» Room monitoring and alarm signalling to DIN
» Freely reprogrammable at any time

LCN at Industry-Electronics

The Industry-Electronics building (completed at the end of 2008) uses LCN bus technology throughout. The entire building is networked and controllable via switches as well as an in-house developed web interface. The interface shows building control based on floor plans, weather and environmental data, integrated camera images and freely definable statistics — and is designed for operation via touchscreen monitors.

In-house developed web interface for controlling the LCN components at Industry-Electronics

Web interface for controlling the LCN components — building control, environmental data and camera images at a glance.

On request and by prior appointment we are happy to advise you on site and demonstrate the installation in practical operation. We also support you in planning your LCN installation.

Further Information

» LCN information site (lcn.eu)
» Manufacturer Issendorff (lcn.de)

» LCN information PDF

LCN products in the B2B shop

All LCN articles are available to order. Need advice or planning support? We are happy to help.

» View LCN products · Home automation · Advice: +49 (0)7666 / 88499-0 · sales@industry-electronics.com