Many of my clients have the same reaction as I did after I put in my lighting control system. They wondered how they ever lived without one. Will lighting and shade control change your life? Maybe, maybe not. But I am here to tell you that there are clear benefits that deserve some serious consideration.
Let’s start with a couple of reasons that impact you and the family directly – comfort and productivity. Being able to set the right mood with scene based selection will always insure you have the perfect balance of light. This will make you more comfortable and increase productivity. You will notice the quality of your work will improve.
I bet you can guess that energy savings plays a role as well. I am willing to bet you still have switches in many places where a dimmer is more deserving. A lighting control system will almost force you to convert all your switches to dimmers, thus saving you energy. You can save about 20% of energy by dimming alone. Plus, a dimmer will afford you the ability to use only the light you need, and set the perfect scene for whatever it is you are doing.
A lighting control system includes shades because shades also control the amount of light you let in – or block out. Picture an automated lighting system that closes the shades when the sun is coming in through the windows and making the house hot during the summer. Cooling off the home and heating it with sunlight are excellent ways to not only save energy, but make your house more comfortable.
Having lighting and shade control keypads that are engraved with scene names like “Dinner”, “Party”, “Cleaning”, “Welcome” and “Goodbye” are not only cool, but a great way to set a mood with ultimate precision and speed. Pressing that “Goodbye” button when you leave the home will insure that no lights are left on. These keypads are great at the top of the basement stairs so you can turn off the lights the kids leave on constantly. Plus, walking around and flipping on and off countless dimmers and switches just to set a mood or shut the lights can be extremely annoying.
What other products are involved in designing a lighting control system besides shades and keypads? How about an occupancy sensor which will turn on light when you enter a smaller room like a laundry/mud room or pantry? If no motion is detected it will shut off and rest assured lights will not be left on. Using occupancy sensors can save up to 50% of energy!
Controlling it all with your phone, tablet or control system is also convenient, but you can also set schedules of your own. Turning on outdoor lights fifteen minutes after sunset and turning them off each night is common, but how about setting an “away” schedule that turns on random lights each day when you are away? With lighting control you are afforded so many possibilities and it is practically effortless.
I hope I left you with some of the benefits that a lighting control system can provide. Now you can be comfortable, productive and save a good deal of energy at the same time. Most of all it will truly make your home a “smart home” and completely change the way you think about lighting. Lighting systems are more affordable than ever and can be done by location, by room, or by floor and expanded as you wish. Let us design the perfect lighting system for you.
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