The lighting industry is undergoing an incredibly fast rate for technological development and is continuing to develop rapidly.
Consumers are at an inflection point because of the innovations in the lighting industry. Today, in addition to transforming environments, lighting is also providing comfort, security, and safety to the world. LED technology is being used to refurbish existing lighting around the globe because of its numerous advantages.
The introduction of LEDs in the consumer market has led to the development of devices and process that can integrate with lighting. LEDs are a digital light source that can be precisely regulated by light control devices such as sensors, dimmers, and push-button devices. These luminaires can also be incorporated with IoT (Internet of Things) to deliver smart lighting solutions.
The uniqueness of LEDs is supported by their capability to be controlled. Since, LEDs are digital, solid-state, intelligent lighting solutions they are capable of being integrated with common lighting control strategies. LEDs come with an electronic driver in every luminaire that is digitally addressable and locally controllable.
Lighting controls can be used for a variety of applications such as dimming, presence detection and to switch off luminaires when there is enough daylight.
Benefits of using LED lighting controls
A lot has changed since the digital revolution caught up within the lighting industry. The inherent capability of LEDs to be controlled by a network or device has significant use cases. Today, a light control system can switch or dim the luminaires for different tasks which enable different control strategies to be incorporated. By implementing IoT with luminaires, lighting can be controlled individually by the facility managers to optimize the performance of an area.
Energy savings
LED lighting increases efficacy when dimmed. These luminaires become more energy efficient when integrated with an automated system like occupancy and daylight dimming sensors. Intelligent controls can detect absence of people and aid to reduce power consumption by automatically turning off lights that are needlessly turned on.
Energy = Power x Time
Simply put, energy is the ability to do work. Using lighting control technology and techniques can significantly reduce lighting energy use while maintaining the quality of illumination.
Comfort
Lighting plays a significant role in increasing productivity of workplaces. Adequate lighting also enhances the mood of the workforce. Light sensors that are used to dim lights minimize the glare and excess light while providing sufficient illumination for the task at hand.
Security
Occupancy sensors integrated with smart controls can turn the lights on when needed. By using such sensors, one can maintain a minimum amount of light levels in areas like corridors, stairwells, parking lots, toilets etc. Smart passive infrared sensors like the eSavvy | CRPS 13 by Wipro are designed with advanced switching photocell that can automatically illuminate dark corridors and staircases.
Ease of use
Intelligent lighting controls can be integrated with the IoT for centralized control. Pre-programmed scenes and push-button devices make it easy for a facility manager to manage all aspects of lighting remotely through a single device. Advanced lighting systems come with mobile apps that further streamline the process and makes lighting up and running right out of the box.
Freedom and flexibility – smart lighting
Light controls enable the use of a single space for multiple purposes. Certain light controls allow you to change the mood, highlight artwork or merchandise. Personalized lighting, with the help of light controls, through smart lighting solutions, is feasible with LED luminaires. The freedom to change appearances of space by altering a luminaire’s brightness and color temperature at the touch of a button is remarkable. One can completely transform a space without having to install new equipment. A scene select system like eSense | CSC 22 by Wipro is one such intelligent light control system that also comes with an inbuilt dimming module.
Smart Lighting is a lighting technology designed for more than just energy efficiency. Light controls are an aspect of intelligent lighting and can be integrated with LEDs to provide several use cases. An effective lighting control approach will ensure that the level of illumination provided by LED luminaires complements the needs of the occupants. The installation of lighting controls, such as timers, motion sensors, dimmers, photocells, and scene systems can be a straightforward and efficient means of reducing lighting energy use and thereby reducing costs.
