ISE 2026 was a milestone second for our business.
From February 3–6, almost 100,000 attendees, the biggest viewers within the present’s 22-year historical past, gathered in Barcelona for Built-in Programs Europe (ISE) 2026. The power on the present flooring mirrored one thing necessary: sensible expertise in Europe is now not area of interest, experimental, or fragmented. It’s infrastructure.
As I walked the halls of Fira de Barcelona Gran By way of, one theme was unmistakable. The longer term isn’t nearly sensible properties. It’s about clever buildings, residential, multifamily, hospitality, mixed-use, and light-weight business environments, designed from the bottom up round safe, scalable connectivity.
And all through these environments, Z-Wave was deeply embedded.
Z-Wave Throughout Residential and Constructing Automation
Within the Sensible Dwelling and Sensible Constructing zones, Z-Wave’s presence was not restricted to a single class. It appeared throughout lighting, shading, HVAC, entry management, power administration, and safety programs. Powering actual installations designed for each non-public residences and bigger property deployments.
What stood out at ISE was not simply product innovation, however system-level pondering. Integrators are designing full constructing ecosystems. They require wi-fi applied sciences which might be safe, interoperable, and scalable. Z-Wave mesh and Z-Wave Lengthy Vary continues to satisfy that demand and a number of other Alliance members demonstrated this in compelling methods.
Member Highlights from ISE 2026
- Good – Yubii Dwelling Gateway in Built-in Dwelling & Constructing Programs
Good showcased its Yubii Dwelling Gateway, a Z-Wave controller positioned on the core of clever residential and light-weight business deployments.
Whereas splendid for high-end residential initiatives, Yubii’s function at ISE was bigger: serving as a wi-fi automation engine inside built-in constructing programs. Via integrations with ELAN OS and Good’s broader ecosystem, the gateway demonstrated how Z-Wave networks can handle lighting, shading, entry, and local weather management throughout whole properties, not simply particular person properties.
It displays how Z-Wave controllers are evolving into foundational infrastructure inside sensible residing environments.
- Legrand (BTicino) – Z-Wave in Vitality & Local weather Infrastructure
Via its BTicino and constructing programs portfolio, Legrand continues to combine Z-Wave-enabled HVAC and power management modules, together with Airzone-compatible options that deliver local weather zoning into unified automation environments.
At ISE, Legrand’s deal with power effectivity, electrification, and clever infrastructure underscored a key actuality: wi-fi requirements like Z-Wave are essential for retrofit-friendly upgrades in European buildings. Z-Wave permits local weather, shading, and lighting management with out invasive rewiring, an unlimited benefit in multifamily housing and business renovations.
- Domex – Design-Ahead Z-Wave 700-Collection Controls
Domex introduced its Z-Wave 700-series sensible switches and modular Intellicard structure to Barcelona, mixing premium aesthetics with sturdy wi-fi efficiency.
These switches function as Z-Wave endpoints and repeaters, strengthening mesh networks throughout residential villas, boutique lodges, and business areas. Their modular communication method, supporting Z-Wave alongside Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi, displays how producers are constructing versatile programs whereas counting on Z-Wave for reliable, interoperable gadget communication.
Design issues in each properties and business areas. Reliability issues much more. Z-Wave delivers each.
- Airzone – Clever HVAC Zoning with Z-Wave Integration
Airzone continues to reveal how superior HVAC zoning programs can combine seamlessly into Z-Wave networks. At ISE, this was notably related as power efficiency rules tighten throughout Europe.
Integrating HVAC management into Z-Wave ecosystems permits centralized automation throughout lighting, shading, occupancy sensing, and power administration, essential for multifamily buildings, hospitality properties, and mixed-use developments in search of operational effectivity.
- Control4 – Skilled Automation with Z-Wave System Integration
Control4’s presence at ISE strengthened the significance of safe wi-fi layers inside premium management programs. Via Z-Wave gadget integration, Control4 programs incorporate sensible locks, sensors, and lighting gadgets into professionally put in automation environments.
In luxurious residential and light-weight business initiatives, Z-Wave continues to function a trusted wi-fi spine supporting skilled integrators.
Z-Wave Lengthy Vary: Increasing the Constructing Alternative
One of the crucial vital conversations at ISE revolved round scalability.
Z-Wave Lengthy Vary (ZWLR) is reworking what’s doable in constructing automation by delivering:
- Prolonged wi-fi vary
- Star topology help
- Considerably expanded gadget capability
- Backward compatibility with current Z-Wave mesh networks
For multifamily developments, hospitality properties, campus-style installations, and enormous single-family estates, Z-Wave Lengthy Vary permits centralized management architectures whereas preserving the resilience of mesh the place wanted.
This flexibility, mesh and star inside one interoperable ecosystem, is more and more necessary as constructing automation necessities develop.
Infrastructure, Not Devices
ISE 2026 made one thing very clear: the business is shifting past remoted sensible gadgets.
In the present day’s initiatives demand:
- Safe, encrypted communications
- Cross-brand interoperability
- Vitality-conscious system design
- Scalable deployments that develop over time
- Dependable efficiency in dense city environments
Z-Wave has been purpose-built for this actuality.
Throughout properties, multifamily items, hospitality areas, and business properties, Z-Wave is just not merely enabling comfort. It’s enabling infrastructure, offering dependable wi-fi connectivity that integrates essential constructing programs.
Trying Forward
The conversations in Barcelona had been forward-looking. Builders, integrators, and producers are designing clever environments that mix AV, automation, power administration, entry management, and wellness applied sciences into cohesive programs.
Z-Wave’s presence at ISE 2026 demonstrated that we aren’t simply taking part on this transformation, we’re serving to energy it.
As Chairman of the Z-Wave Alliance, I left ISE energized by what I noticed: a rising European market, robust member innovation, and a transparent demand for safe, scalable wi-fi requirements.
The way forward for sensible residing can also be the way forward for sensible buildings.
And Z-Wave is prepared for each.
