5 Surprising Benefits of Lighting Automation
See How Smart Lighting Control Can Enhance Your Home & Daily Life
If you’re undergoing a home renovation or building a new house, now’s the perfect opportunity to switch to lighting automation.
What’s lighting automation? We’re glad you asked! It’s the ability to intelligently control lights at both the individual level and by rooms and zones. When you own a smart system like Lutron or Savant, you can fine-tune the color and brightness of your lights, saving your preferences to experience at any time.
But lighting automation isn’t just for playing with colors. There are real, handy benefits it can provide your home and family in McLean, VA. Read on to discover five advantages you may not have expected from lighting control!
SEE ALSO: 8 Frequently Asked Questions About Home Automation
1. Save Time
This is a big one. When all your home’s lights are integrated into the same system, it only requires one press of a button to turn off the house lights before you leave in the morning. Coffee in one hand, bag in the other? Tell your voice assistant to power off the lights, and it will. At night, automated schedules can instantly turn on lights where you need them, tuned to the perfect brightness and color temperature. Morning and nighttime routines become much simpler with automated lighting.
2. Incorporate Motorized Shades & HVAC
Systems like Lutron and Savant don’t stop at LED lighting control. You can also automate window blinds and drapes, then expand into thermostats, fans, and AC control. From a single app or wall keypad, tap a button labeled anything from “Morning” to “Yoga” that adjusts the windows, lights, and temperature to your liking.
3. Regulate Your Circadian Rhythm
It’s a common light bulb dilemma: should you purchase cool-hued bulbs or warm-tinted ones? Bright light is best during the day but feels harsh and uncomfortable at night. Likewise, warm lighting can feel stuffy during daylight hours but cozy at night.
Lighting automation lets you enjoy the best of both worlds by gradually adjusting the color temperature and warmth of lights from hour to hour. Cool lighting during the day energizes your mind and home. By evening, dim, warm lighting prompts your mind to wind down and start producing melatonin. Also referred to as circadian or human-centric lighting, this feature follows the sun’s patterns to mimic natural light and improve mental wellness.
4. Improve Home Security
Home security cameras are only helpful if they can see clearly. Even if you use infrared cameras, you’ll only be able to see footage in black and white after dark. We can sync landscape lights into your smart system to automatically activate when motion is detected on the property. Plus, when your lights automatically turn on after dark, you won’t risk tripping or running into any surprises at night.
5. Lower Electricity Bills
Lighting automation illuminates your home only when it’s needed. Automated schedules and occupancy sensors turn off lights when no one’s home, so nothing is accidentally left on. LED lights require much less energy than CFL or incandescent lights, too, and by lowering motorized shades during the day, you’ll rely less on the AC to keep rooms cool.
Could your Virginia home benefit from an automated lighting system? Innovative AV designs and installs custom lighting systems that blend into your home’s interior. Contact us to learn more!