Why choose a lighting control system
With energy prices set to rise even higher and typical household bills predicted to average £3,549 per year from 1 October, many homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their energy usage. Suggestions include switching appliances off rather than leaving them on standby, taking shorter showers, and switching off lights. But did you know that using dimmers and advanced lighting control can help you save even further? Let’s take a look at how lighting automation can create cost savings.
How can we reduce the cost of lighting?
Reducing the cost of lighting can be about more than just switching lights off when you’re not in the room. With a system such as Lutron, you have more options that can help you save in a number of ways. For example, Lutron uses dimmers, which automatically save 4-9% in electricity compared to a standard on/off switch, even at the highest lighting levels. When the lights are dimmed further, of course, even more energy is saved.
How does a lighting control system save energy?
So, if dimmers can help reduce the cost of lighting, why not simply install dimmer switches in your home? Well, a lighting system can do even more. Lutron lighting can be automated, with daylight and occupancy sensors turning on lights without any input from the user. Daylight sensors measure the daylight levels in a space and calculate how much light is needed to support it in order to create the optimal overall light level. Occupancy sensors, meanwhile, can turn lights on or off depending on whether activity has been detected in a room.
A study by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2001 found that occupancy motion sensors can save you as much as 60% in energy costs, meaning that choosing a lighting control system can deliver far beyond a basic reduction in bills.
With that in mind, here are some further benefits to engaging a Lutron installer to design and fit a whole-home lighting system.
Increased comfort
Lutron lighting is designed to provide a comfortable and productive visual environment, whatever the time of day and whatever the activity you’re engaged in. Whether you’re working from home, entertaining friends or having a movie night, the system can enhance your space and experience with an optimal level of light while reducing energy consumption. You can set different moods and take advantage of daylight as much as possible to ensure maximum benefit.
Savings across multiple light sources
Using a Lutron system means that you’re not restricted to incandescent lights when dimming. Instead, all sources, from halogen and CFLs to LED bulbs, can be dimmed, with a huge saving in energy costs as a result. For example, if a halogen light source is dimmed by 35%, energy usage will be decreased by 28%.
Such are the reductions in energy usage that each year, Lutron products save almost 10 billion kWh of energy. This is equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road.
Whole-home scenes
Lutron lighting systems enable you to select pre-configured lighting scenes at the touch of a button. You might, for example, activate a scene called ‘dinner time’ which brightens the lights in the dining room and kitchen while dimming or turning off those in the other living areas. You can accommodate a whole host of activities with pre-set scenes for working, movie night, reading and entertaining.
Added security
Motion sensors mean that as you move around your home in the dark, there’s a reduced risk of accidents occurring. Say you need to go to the kitchen in the night to get a glass of water; instead of going in the dark and tripping over a pair of shoes left at the bottom of the stairs, or fumbling around for the light switch only to be blinded by the brightness of the light, you can take advantage of a motion sensor to create a comfortable level of light that sees you safely into the kitchen and back to bed.
In addition, you can use a lighting system to create the illusion that you’re at home while you’re on holiday. Your lighting can be automated to come on at certain times of the day as a deterrent to thieves.
Extended bulb life
Using automation and dimming technology reduces power to the lighting source or bulb, thereby extending its life. Incandescent and halogen bulbs can last up to 20 times longer when used with a dimmer, meaning increased cost savings.
Remote control
Your home lighting system can be operated remotely as well as from within your home. With mobile control, you can turn lights on or off as necessary even when you’re away – so if you’re away for the night and the neighbour’s going in to feed a pet, you can ensure the rooms they need to use are well lit, then switch everything off once they’ve been.
Lutron lighting installation
If you’re looking to save on your energy bills in the coming months, the team at New Wave AV can help. As a Lutron Certified Installer, we can custom design your home lighting system, as well as fit and maintain it, bringing you energy-efficient lighting that enhances your living experience. Our solutions are tailored to your specific needs, and we’ll take the time to educate you on the operation of your controllers, so you can enjoy the maximum benefit from your system. Get in touch with us today for a full demonstration and consultation.
