Z-Wave: The smart home technology at a glance
What is Z-Wave?
Z-Wave is a smart home standard that has been around for over 20 years. Z-Wave was developed in 2001 by the Danish company Zen-Sys, which was later taken over by Sigma Designs and is now part of Silicon Labs. Z-Wave is supported by the Z-Wave Alliance, which includes over 700 manufacturers and more than 4,100 products.
The standard was developed to connect and control smart devices. Z-Wave uses a lower frequency between 800 and 900 MHz, which results in a greater range and less interference from other wireless networks. A gateway is required to control Z-Wave devices via mobile phone or voice assistant.
Z-Wave devices create a mesh network where each device can relay signals to increase the range and reliability of the network. The newer Z-Wave Plus™ certification (500 series) offers improved features such as longer battery life, greater range and higher bandwidth.
Z-Wave Plus™
Z-Wave Plus™ is a new level within Z-Wave certification and is designed to help consumers identify those products that utilise the ‘GEN5’ Z-Wave hardware platform (also known as 500 series or 5th generation Z-Wave chips). Z-Wave Plus certified products have several benefits that increase ease of use and make Z-Wave solutions even faster and easier to install and set up.
Since the first Z-Wave product was certified in 2004, Z-Wave has established itself as the market leader for interoperable intelligent devices in home networking. With the introduction of the new Z-Wave 500 series, the Z-Wave ecosystem has been expanded with new features such as increased range, longer battery life, Over The Air Upgrades (OTA) and additional RF channels.
Products with Z-Wave Plus™ are fully backwards compatible with existing Z-Wave products. For consumers, homeowners, integrators and service providers, the Z-Wave Plus™ enhancements offer tremendous benefits in terms of shorter and easier installations, more extensive device profiles, improved self-healing and longer battery life. With the new Z-Wave Plus certification programme, the Z-Wave Alliance is also introducing a series of logos that can be found on the packaging of Z-Wave Plus™ certified products, informing consumers of the benefits of the Z-Wave 500 series.
Advantages of Z-Wave Plus™:
- 50% improvement in battery life
- 67% improvement in range
- 250% more bandwidth
- Three RF channels for improved noise immunity and higher bandwidth
- New network-wide plug-and-play inclusion feature
- Improved self-healing and fault tolerance with explorer frame function
- Standardised procedures for over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates
- Improved product information collection for the product certification database
Applications for Z-Wave
Z-Wave-compatible devices are available for many different applications within the smart home. Due to the low bandwidth, data-intensive devices, such as smart home cameras, are not among them. Instead, compatible devices include the following applications, among others:
- Intelligent heating control: With Z-Wave thermostats, you can heat your rooms individually and adjust the temperature to suit your needs. With the help of a schedule, your home is always warm at the right time and saves on heating costs the rest of the time.
- Smart lighting: Lamps and bulbs with Z-Wave technology can be conveniently switched on, dimmed or automated using your mobile phone.
- Improved security: Numerous Z-Wave devices can increase security in your home. Smart door locks automatically lock the front door in the evening and a customised security system can be put together from motion detectors, door/window contacts and an alarm siren.
Z-Wave is a proven and reliable smart home standard that impresses with its high range and security. Although it is more expensive and complex to set up, its mesh network structure and compatibility provide a solid foundation for a smart home. With the introduction of Z-Wave Plus™, the standard has been further improved and now offers even more benefits. Whether you prefer Z-Wave or another standard, the right choice depends on your individual needs and priorities.
