Put the NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit and the Alledio Room Unit side by side on a wall and you immediately see two different design philosophies. NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit is a very capable room operating unit with a 3.5″ TFT screen, a rotary‑push knob and four shortcut keys, clearly presenting itself as “the controller” in the room. The Alledio Room Unit, in contrast, is a slim, minimalistic glass panel with a crisp touch display and almost no visual noise—more design object than device, quietly blending into high‑end interiors while still doing serious work behind the glass.
NOVOS 7 and Alledio at a Glance
NOVOS 7 is Thermokon’s flagship in the NOVOS family of room units. It combines a 3.5″ TFT display with a push‑and‑rotary knob and four freely configurable capacitive keys. It can integrate up to four sensing functions—temperature, relative humidity, CO₂ and VOC—and is intended for controlling room climate, lights, shading and scenes in offices, schools, hotels and similar buildings.
The Alledio Room Unit is also a multifunctional room controller, but its core mission is different: it is designed as an OEM‑friendly, minimalistic wall unit that can be adapted in branding, user interface and functionality. It uses a high‑resolution 480×320 touch display behind a flat glass surface with a thin frame, aiming for visual calm and elegance. On the inside, it combines Modbus, WiFi, MQTT, optional Bluetooth and extensible firmware so it can act as both a local controller and a connected node in larger, cloud‑based systems.
Aesthetics and UX: Rotary Tradition vs. Quiet Minimalism
From a user’s point of view, NOVOS 7 feels like a classic but premium BMS front end. The rotary knob invites you to turn and click, and the four shortcut keys below the screen provide immediate access to commonly used functions such as temperature setpoint, lighting or shading. The display shows icons, values and simple overviews of the room state. It looks technical in a reassuring way—ideal for offices and institutional buildings where visible control equipment is expected.
The Alledio Room Unit emphasizes minimalism and beauty. The front surface is a single, clean glass panel with no physical knobs or protruding elements. The touch interface is laid out with simple icons, clear typography and generous spacing, so the user perceives it more like a refined design piece than a technical device. Because the UI is fully configurable, OEMs can keep the home screen extremely lightweight—just a temperature, a fan icon and a simple slider—or add extra pages and widgets without compromising the minimal aesthetic. If NOVOS 7 is a visible control hub, Alledio is the quiet conductor in the background.
Sensing Capabilities and Comfort Control
On sensing, NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit and Alledio Room Unit are peers. NOVOS 7 can be equipped with up to four integrated sensors: temperature, humidity, CO₂ and VOC. That allows it to manage thermal comfort and indoor air quality from one place, with features like traffic‑light style color visualization and trends to show whether conditions are good or drifting out of range. This is particularly helpful in classrooms, offices or meeting rooms where occupants respond well to simple visual cues.
The Alledio Room Unit similarly supports temperature, humidity and air‑quality sensing, including VOC and CO₂, depending on the configuration. Where it leans further is in how it uses and exposes that data. Measurements are not only shown locally but can be sent over Modbus, WiFi and MQTT into building management systems, cloud dashboards or OEM portals. That makes Alledio especially attractive in scenarios where sensor data should feed analytics, reporting or AI‑driven optimization beyond the room itself.
Communication and Integration
NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit is strong in traditional building‑automation environments. It is available with RS485 Modbus and RS485 BACnet network interfaces and fits well into systems where a BMS or a KNX/BACnet backbone already orchestrates HVAC, lighting and shading. Integrators can parameterize it through standard tools and treat it as a well‑behaved node in the existing network.
The Alledio Room Unit uses RS485 Modbus‑RTU as a base protocol but positions itself firmly in the connected, IoT‑driven world. It supports Modbus as client or server for straightforward controller integration, yet also offers WiFi and MQTT to talk directly to IP networks and cloud platforms. An API‑friendly approach makes it easier to connect the device to proprietary cloud services, mobile applications or third‑party dashboards. Optional Bluetooth is available for diagnostics or project‑specific use. So while NOVOS 7 is excellent in multi‑protocol BMS contexts, Alledio is designed to be a first‑class citizen of connected services and OEM ecosystems.
Display, Interaction and Daily Use
NOVOS 7’s interface combines visible controls with graphical feedback. Users typically rotate and press the central knob to navigate through menus, adjust setpoints and change modes, with four capacitive favourite buttons serving as direct shortcuts for lights, blinds, scenes or eco mode. The 3.5″ display provides clear visualization of values and trends, making daily operation straightforward even for people who never saw the device before.
The Alledio Room Unit moves all interaction into the touch display. Every button, slider or widget is on‑screen and can be placed, resized or removed through firmware and configuration. This lets OEMs design the interaction model around their users: a very simple direct‑manipulation interface for guests in hotel rooms, or a more feature‑rich multi‑page menu for more technical environments. Because there are no physical controls, the panel remains visually calm and symmetrical, reinforcing the minimalistic appearance regardless of how many software features are active.
Connectivity, Updates and Lifecycle
Over the lifetime of a building, how a room unit can be updated and managed becomes just as important as what it can do on day one. NOVOS 7 follows the classic building‑automation pattern: it is configured via bus and vendor tools, and any significant changes typically happen when technicians are on site during commissioning or refurbishment. It fits well into projects where infrastructure is updated in larger, infrequent steps.
The Alledio Room Unit treats firmware as a living layer. Once connected to WiFi, it can receive over‑the‑air (OTA) updates, meaning that bug fixes, performance improvements or entirely new features can be deployed without reaching for a screwdriver. MQTT and API access allow devices to be monitored, managed and orchestrated via cloud dashboards or external platforms, supporting fleet‑level operations across many sites. For OEMs, this turns each room unit into an endpoint in a larger digital product—something that can continue to improve and evolve over time.
OEM Customization and Brand Experience
For OEMs and system builders, NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit offers a strong, recognizable appearance: a clear screen, a central knob and a structured fascia. Variants in color and cover design let it match different interiors, and the combination of sensors and protocols covers most typical project needs. It is a perfect choice when you want an off‑the‑shelf room operating unit that clearly looks like a control device and integrates neatly into BMS‑centric projects.
The Alledio Room Unit, however, is expressly intended as a platform that OEMs shape into their own product. Its minimalistic glass design is deliberately neutral: no brand language is imposed, no fixed icons are etched into the hardware. Logos, brand elements and color themes can be integrated both on the glass and within the UI. Layouts, icons and interaction flows can be tuned per product line or even per large customer. Firmware can be extended with OEM‑specific modes, control logic or data structures. In short, the same piece of sleek hardware can become many different “named” products, all sharing the same minimal hardware silhouette but each carrying its own identity on screen.
In Comparison
| Aspect | Thermokon NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit | Alledio Room Unit / Room Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Visual style | 3.5″ TFT, rotary‑push knob, four buttons; technical, device‑like look | Ultra‑minimalistic glass front, slim frame, no physical controls; calm, architectural presence |
| HMI concept | Screen + hardware knob + capacitive keys | 480×320 touch display under protective glass; all interaction via configurable on‑screen elements |
| Sensors | Up to 4 integrated: temperature, humidity, CO₂, VOC | Temperature, humidity, VOC and CO₂ options; sensor data designed for BMS, SCADA and cloud use |
| Protocols | RS485 Modbus and RS485 BACnet variants | RS485 Modbus‑RTU (Client/Server), WiFi, MQTT, optional Bluetooth; API‑ready for cloud and apps |
| Main functions | Room climate, lights, scenes, shading, ECO; local visualization of values and trends | Room climate and IAQ, fan and modes, behavior‑oriented energy features; scenes, timers and extra functions addable via firmware |
| Configuration | Vendor tools via bus interfaces; classic BMS workflow | On‑device UI plus WiFi/MQTT/API; built for fleet‑style rollout and OEM customization |
| Lifecycle & updates | Updates mainly during commissioning or retrofit; on‑site technician model | WiFi + OTA updates, cloud integration and APIs; devices treated as continuously updatable endpoints |
| OEM focus | Strong catalog room operating unit for integrators | Purpose‑built OEM platform: branding, UI, firmware and connectivity tailored per manufacturer |
 Room operating unit |  OEM Room Unit |
When Does Each Make the Most Sense?
NOVOS 7 Room Operating Unit is an excellent choice for projects that need a robust, capable room operating unit with a familiar physical interface and tight integration into traditional BMS architectures. It works especially well in offices, schools and commercial buildings where visible controls and classic fieldbus communication are the norm.
The Alledio Room Unit, however, becomes the more compelling option when you care about both minimalistic, beautiful aesthetics and long‑term digital strategy. Its understated glass design allows it to blend into design‑sensitive environments like boutique hotels, premium offices and high‑end residential spaces. At the same time, its WiFi, MQTT, Modbus, OTA update capability, and deep OEM customization options make it an ideal foundation for manufacturers and service providers who want the room unit not just to control comfort, but to act as a branded, evolving touchpoint in a larger connected ecosystem.
