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Lighting Control
Lighting is one of the most popular places to start when you begin automating your home, because it plays such a large part in your everyday life.
For some, it might be as simple as adding some dimmers or installing a remote control. For others, a sophisticated lighting overhaul could be in order, with advanced settings to enable the most sophisticated lighting applications.
You could even go as far as to incorporate voice recognition, or create lighting “scenes” to be initiated at various times.
Why automate your lighting?
Controlling your light structures from a central, automated location is undeniably convenient. It might allow you to switch off your front porch light from your bedroom, for example, saving you from making a midnight dash downstairs and out the front door – an added bonus in the middle of winter!
It also adds an extra layer of security when you’re not home. You could instruct your living room lights to turn on automatically at 6.45pm every night, so that you appear to be home, whether you are or not. And then, to avoid a giant carbon footprint, you could attach a motion sensor that commands the lights to switch off after 30 minutes if no movement is detected.
The best part about all of this is, lighting is one of the easiest areas of your home that you can automate. Starter kits are inexpensive, and installing devices (link: 24_Intro to devices_A) can be as simple as plugging it in.
Benefits of automated lighting
The obvious first benefit is convenience: when you’re juggling your keys, handbag and groceries as you struggle through your front door, an automatic light in the foyer – perhaps sparked by a motion detector – would be well-received.
And if that light happens to follow you through your hallway and into your kitchen – well, that’s what a smart home is all about!
There are also environmental benefits – and you’ll no longer need to nag your kids and partner to turn out the lights when they leave a room. Now, if only you could automate your home’s cleaning…
Types of devices
There are plenty of areas you can tinker with when upgrading your lighting to an automated system.
At the beginner end of the spectrum are the basic products that will get your system underway, such as compatible switches, central controllers and dimmers (link: 24_Intro to devices_A).
If you want to take it to the next level, more advanced lighting components include motion detectors and light detectors. Motion detectors are more commonly used outdoors, but they’re starting to illuminate more and more kitchens, foyers and hallways, as people begin to understand the benefits of hands-free lighting.
