Lighting control is often used for:
- Aesthetics
- Energy saving
- Safety
- Security
- Creating optimum work environments
- Therapy
- Entertainment
Every scenario is different however and there are many different solutions available to meet your needs. Lets look at some of the scenarios and the different aspects in more detail:
Home Comfort
Probably the single most requested features for lighting control in the home is a single button to turn off every light in the house. Kids, convenience, energy saving or even laziness have been cited as reasons but ultimately is very achievable with most modern systems. Going further however many people use lighting to change the look and feel of a room. With several lighting circuits in a room the convenience of having a one-touch recall of various light levels is far more practical than adjusting multiple dimmer switches.
Some of the many other uses of lighting control revolve around practical issues for instance using presence sensors to turn on and off lights, particularly in utility spaces. Occupancy simulation is one much requested feature - having your lights turn on and off automatically having recorded your typical usage over 4 weeks. This provides the illusion of someone being home and can be set to run/unset by your intruder alarm.
Many people also look to provide paths of light for example a low level night light path from a bedroom to the bathroom or kitchen.
A lighting control solution can also contribute to your obligations under Part L of the building regulations.
Light level management
Light level management is often sought after for working environments, safety situations and comfort. The amount of artificial light used in a room is controlled by one or more light level sensors which dim the lights up or down depending on the level of natural light in the room.
Many modern office spaces now use light level management. Not only does it save energy costs but also improves the comfort of the people using the space.
Commercial Light Management
Commercial buildings often have a lot of lights, many of which are switched on for long periods. Not only does this become a significant running cost but the associated maintenance involved can also be a burden. Some buildings also have several operating modes - restaurants for example may have house lights for cleaning and general servicing and other lighting for when customers are dining.
Commercial lighting control solutions can help reduce costs both direct and indirect. It can also add value to your business by providing the most effective operating environment and comfort for your employees or customers.
Looking in more detail at some of the possibilities: the cost of checking and replacing lamps or testing emergency lighting is often very high. This is usually done by maintenance staff however it is now possible to automate much of this. Many modern fluorescent light fittings can now be monitored centrally, alerting the facilities staff that particular lamps have gone and need replacing. In a similar way, many emergency light fittings can also be automatically tested and reported on centrally. The savings vary from place to place but are often significant. These are real solutions to real problems.
For office spaces and other environments you also have the ability to control the lighting based on time of day or room use. In many offices, most employees have left by 6pm. Automatically shutting down the lights on all the floors and relying on presence sensors to only turn on lights where there are people present can save significant costs. From the touch of a button conference rooms, restaurants etc. can change light settings to suit the environment required.
Therapy, entertainment & other scenarios
Light is a powerful tool. It is often taken for granted in its general use however light can play a more important role. We often see coloured lighting used in entertainment and is indeed something we work with. Extending this further however, specific frequencies of light are known to have different effects on us. Coloured or bright lighting can be an aid to the visually impaired or as a way to help children with learning difficulties.
Controlling light in its various forms can play an important role in saving money and improving quality of life. We design and install solutions large or small to suit your needs. We can also integrate your lighting control solution into a wider building management solution or audio-visual installation.
Whatever your requirements we can help.