Power consumption from these fittings is up to 80% less than the halogen incandescent load it replaces. “The introduction of the LED caused a multitude of problems mainly concerning color temperature and dimming ability but we have seen great advances in recent years to the point where it is really no longer an issue. “We at Crestron have seen a huge shift away from conventional dimming to low voltage dimming and now very much a mixture of DALI for downlights and a small amount of conventional dimming for 5-amp and feature lights,” notes Phil Pini for Crestron EMEA’s Residential Business Development. This extension into energy management is a development that Crestron sees as a current market demand with a focus on low-energy consuming light fittings and the control of solar gain and heat loss from windows and doors. It will only start once solar panels have generated enough energy to complete the washing without pulling power from the grid,” explains Schiemann. “A practical example is a washing machine that is left ready to go in the morning. Schiemann sees future development of the technology to include gesture commands, such as turning on/off lights with the opening or closing of a hand, and the integration of intelligent energy usage by combining solar panels with and energy storage system and a controller. Launched in 2014, ABB’s ( pictured below, right) has added voice control functionality and wireless capabilities that will enable control of lights, blinds, heating and door control without the need to rewire the home. “Not only is it simple for homeowners and building managers to use and change settings through an intuitive smartphone or tablet app but it is also simple for ordinary electrical installers to set up, which keeps the cost down.” “The latest home automation technology, such as is making building automation technology available for the masses,” says Christian Schiemann, ABB’s product marketing manager for Building Automation and Wiring Accessories. Many homeowners are making energy saving the key priority when choosing electrical installations.”Ĭiting BI Intelligence research that estimates that the smart home devices market is expected to grow to $490 billion by 2019, Swedish-Swiss automation company ABB points to ubiquitous smart phone use and simplified, cheaper smart home solutions as triggers of industry growth. Moss adds, “Automatic functions such as an ‘all off’ option, or the restriction of light levels at certain times of day can help homeowners to save energy too. These subtle accents can really help to create aesthetically pleasing living spaces. Lighting is not just about illuminating a room to see what you’re doing, but to create contrast, shadows and an ambient living environment. With the use of these different LED options, homes can be transformed. “This decision can create a relaxing or invigorating mood with very little effort. “One of the most neglected areas of lighting is the client’s selection of a ‘cool’ or ‘warm’ light,” say Andy Moss, Niko’s managing director of Moss Technical Services. This has allowed us to incorporate third-party blind solutions into our already very retrofit-able solutions.”įor Niko, customer demand for one-touch control of multiple lighting circuits to create moods has been an innovation driving factor. Williams adds, “The move to wireless technologies has yielded an environment where blinds and shades in particular can be retrofitted into existing homes more easily, as wires are not required. The IoT world has reset customer expectations that there is an app for everything that is powered.”Ĭontrol4’s open ecosystem, according to Williams, has made it easier to incorporate third-party blind, shade and lighting solutions within a Control4 environment controlled by one of the company’s simple interfaces ( pictured below)-bypassing the multiple app process we have come to associated with early IoT adoption. “Most notably the push to IoT and the move to wireless technologies have primarily had the most impact. “There are many evolutions and changes that have had an impact on lighting and shade product development,” says Paul Williams, vice president of solutions at Control4. Lighting and shade control is proving to be one of the more exciting aspects of the Internet of Things expansion.Īs the future of home automation continues to morph into an everyday reality, dictated more and more by networked solutions that unify home environments, the need to fully integrate control of lighting and shades, and by extension interior climate, has produced new approaches aimed at underscoring ease of use.
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