Lighting control systems have many benefits like convenience, reduced energy consumption, energy cost savings and safety, but how do you choose the right system to achieve your goals? A lighting control system can include everything from basic switches and occupancy sensors to fixture-embedded sensors and asset tracking. Check out the chart below to help you determine which system is right for you.
Comparing Lighting Control System Pros and Cons
BASIC LIGHTING CONTROLS
The most basic lighting control systems consist of standalone controls like toggle wall switches, dimmers, timers and occupancy sensors. These systems are perfect for homes and small offices where you simply want an inexpensive, simple solution for turning lights on and off.
Pros: Simple to use, easy to install and inexpensive compared to more advanced systems.
Cons: Limited functionality, require manual operation and less energy efficient.
Best Basic Lighting Control Options: Check out Lutron dimmers and occupancy sensors or Wattstopper time switches.
WIRELESS LIGHTING CONTROLS
If you want wireless, app-based control and the ability to group fixtures together, a Bluetooth-enabled lighting control system is a better option. With a Bluetooth lighting control system, you can download a free app on your cellphone and pair fixtures to the app.
On the app, you can group fixtures together, so you can control several lights at a time rather than individually. Whether it’s an office space or a classroom, you can set the room up to best meet your needs. For example, in a classroom with a screen or projector in front, you could set the lights at the front of the classroom to be dimmer and rest of the lights to be brighter. You can also set up basic scheduling functions, so lights will turn on and off or dim at certain times of the day for more efficient energy usage.
Pros: Wireless, app-based control, easy to pair, fixture grouping and basic scheduling.
Cons: Limited scheduling functions and limited scalability.
Best Options for Wireless Lighting Controls: Learn more about Keystone’s SmartLoop lighting control system, the Lutron Caseta or Cooper Lighting’s WaveLinx LITE.
NETWORKED LIGHTING CONTROLS
The most advanced option is a networked lighting control system, which allows you to have more control, be more efficient and monitor usage across a facility. These systems allow you to schedule efficiently, track your assets and calculating energy savings over time. Everything is controlled on your system network or in the cloud, so you can monitor and control an entire building or campus full of buildings from a computer or mobile device.
With fixture-embedded sensors and detailed scheduling based on organizational timeclocks and astronomical clocks, the system can automatically adjust light output based on the amount of ambient light, the time of year and time of day, resulting in more efficient energy usage and cost savings. A networked system also gives you more access to data you can use to create energy efficient spaces
You can even place Bluetooth tags on assets you want to track in real time. You could use it to quickly locate a cart full of emergency supplies in a hospital, track employee name badges or discover where production bottlenecks are occurring through heat map tracking. A networked lighting control system is perfect for large facilities like hospitals, manufacturing plants, office headquarters and school buildings.
Pros: Energy efficiency, scalability, cost savings and asset tracking.
Cons: More up-front cost and complexity.
Bests Options for Networked Lighting Controls: Cooper Wavelinx , Current’s NX Lighting Controls Site Manager and Lutron Vive can control anything from a single room to an entire building or campus.
DIVE DEEPER INTO LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMS
Which type of lighting control system will work best for you? Is there a particular lighting control system you want to learn more about? Ask to speak with a Van Meter lighting specialist to discover which lighting control system will work best in your facility.
FAQs
The most advanced option is a networked lighting control system, which allows you to have more control, be more efficient and monitor usage across a facility. These systems allow you to schedule efficiently, track your assets and calculating energy savings over time.
What is the best method of lighting control? ›
For example, the best combination for aesthetic lighting may be a photosensor that turns lights on in the evening and a timer that turns the lights off at a certain hour of the night (such as 11 p.m.). For indoor lighting, timers are useful to give an unoccupied house a lived-in look.
What is the most common lighting control protocol? ›
The most commonly used systems in professional LED lighting are DALI, 0-10V, 1-10V and DMX. Phase cut dimming is also used, but is less suited for professional LED lighting. Except for phase cut dimming, the used protocol has no influence on the quality of light with regards to dimming.
What are the methods of lighting control system? ›
Lighting control systems may include a lighting technology designed for energy efficiency, convenience and security. This may include high efficiency fixtures and automated controls that make adjustments based on conditions such as occupancy or daylight availability.
What are the four modes of light control? ›
While there are multiple lighting control methods electrical engineers can employ, the four most common are panelboards, relay-based systems, dimming, and addressable controls.
Which type of lighting system is the most efficient system? ›
The light-emitting diode (LED) is today's most energy-efficient and rapidly developing lighting technology. Quality LED light bulbs last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting.
What are the 3 types of lighting methods? ›
3 Basic Types of Lighting
- Ambient lighting.
- Task lighting.
- Accent lighting.
Some examples of the devices and parts used include:
- Lighting controller devices – they send a command to control the light.
- Occupancy sensors or motion sensors – They detect movement/presence.
- Infrared sensors – They detect the body temperature of moving persons to register occupancy.
There are three basic types of lighting you should layer in a room in order to accomplish this: Ambient or general lighting. Accent lighting. Task lighting.
What is the most common security lighting system? ›
Continuous lighting is the most common security-lighting system. It consists of a series of fixed lights arranged to flood a given area continuously with overlapping cones of light during darkness.
Lighting control systems are composed of two main components: the controller and the dimmer. The controller is the device that sends signals to the dimmers, allowing users to set the light level, direction, and color for a particular area.
What are the two most common types of switches used to control lighting systems? ›
A single-pole switch or one-way electrical switch is the standard household switch. The primary usage is to control the lights and fans in homes. The single pole switch controls lighting from one location, unlike the two-way light switching, which controls lights from different locations.
What are 3 way lighting controls? ›
In traditional electrical setups, a 3-way light switch is paired with an additional 3-way switch to give you control of a light or appliance from two different locations. Both switches are designed to either complete or interrupt the circuit—allowing you to turn lights on or off from two areas of the room.
What are the basic lighting systems? ›
There are three basic types of lighting that work together to light your home: General, Task and Accent. A good lighting plan combines all three types to light an area, according to function and style. General Lighting provides an area with overall illumination.
What is an example of controlled lighting? ›
For example, the controlled lighting method is used when the width of the lighted strip outside an area must be controlled and adjusted to fit a particular need, such as illuminating a wide strip inside a fence and a narrow strip outside, or lighting a wall or roof.
What are the protocols for lighting control system? ›
The lighting control protocol is a set of rules used for communication between lighting control devices, like ballasts, sensors, or motion detectors. The commonly used lighting control protocols are DALI, 0-10V, DMX, and Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The two primary types of protocols are analog and digital.
What is the most efficient lighting method? ›
Helps with energy savings – LED bulbs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent. They reduce the amount of trapped light, by emitting specific direction. Switching to LED bulbs will reduce your carbon footprint by 500 lbs, and save you up to $75 per year.
What is the most effective lighting? ›
If you're looking to save energy, LED light bulbs are the most efficient way to light your home.
What are the energy-efficient lighting control methods? ›
Types of Strategies. Lighting control strategies, such as task tuning, daylight harvesting, occupancy sensing, scheduling, and dimming, can be combined to save energy in specific areas of a building. These methods, in addition to energy conservation, greatly enhance the ambiance of a space.
What are 3-way lighting controls? ›
In traditional electrical setups, a 3-way light switch is paired with an additional 3-way switch to give you control of a light or appliance from two different locations. Both switches are designed to either complete or interrupt the circuit—allowing you to turn lights on or off from two areas of the room.
