Understanding Smart Lighting: How it Works, the Features & Benefits

With almost all home appliances and electronics getting smarter, why should lighting be an exception? Today, you can dim the lights in your home with a simple voice command, a remote controller or an app on your smartphone. Your motion sensor lights will help you reach the kitchen safely when you want to get out of bed in the middle of the night to get water. These and many more types of lighting come under the ambit of smart lighting. So, what is smart lighting? Continue reading on to find out.  

What is a Smart Lighting System? 

Smart lighting is a system of advanced lighting technology. The lights in a smart lighting system comprise software that connects to an app on your smartphone or other smart devices in your home, allowing you to automate your lights. This way, you can eliminate the need to flip a switch.  

These smart lighting systems are integrated with a myriad of features including colour changing, scheduled on and off, auto-dimming and essential lighting, among others. Smart lights can be potentially energy-efficient and cost-effective in the long run.  

How Does Smart Lighting Work? 

Like most automated systems, smart lighting systems use wireless technology that allows you to control the lights remotely. The smart lights connect to a central controller which can be a hub or a software. The smart light receives instructions from this hub. The hub acts as a gateway between the smart light and your smartphone.  

Smart bulbs and smart LED battens are typically not connected to a central controller or hub. Instead, you can control them using the internet. When you control these smart lights using your phone or smart speaker, you are essentially sending instructions to these lights over the internet.  

Features of Smart Lighting 

Now that you know what smart lights for home are, you ought to know the common features: 

• Remote controlled 

Smart lighting systems typically come with a remote controller that allows you to control the lighting from the comfort of your couch, chair or bed. The remote controller is usually battery-powered. Typically, the controller allows you to turn the lights on and off, adjust the dimmer, select any pre-set intensity settings, change light colours and more. Some smart lighting systems allow you to control the lighting for multiple rooms.  

• Integration with smartphone 

Instead of using a remote controller, you can simply install the manufacturer’s mobile app to control the lights. The functionalities of the two are more or less the same. A smartphone app may have additional features such as the ability to set a specific time for automatically switching the lights on or off. You can customise the settings for different rooms in your house as well. Also, no resources spent on manufacturing a remote controller means potentially less carbon footprint. Some lighting systems also allow you to control your lights even when you’re away from home.  

For instance, you can opt for the Immensa Smart Base E27 Wi-Fi-enabled LED Bulb from Crompton. You can control the bulb from a smartphone via the MyCrompton app. 

• Customised lighting effects 

Your remote controller or smartphone app may allow you to change the lighting effects so that you can set the mood for different occasions. You can create effects with colour-changing LED bulbs or synchronised lighting scenes. You can also switch from warm to cool colours with a few taps. You  

• Energy tracking 

Some advanced smart lighting systems monitor your power consumption. You may view such data on your smartphone app. This way, you can track your energy consumption and identify ways to optimise energy costs.  

• Smart sensors 

Smart lighting systems typically include motion sensors that automatically turn on when they detect movement. These smart sensors also automatically adjust the lighting depending on the time of the day and the occupancy. Due to these sensors, smart lights can function as footlights or outdoor lights.  

• Timers 

You can set a specific time for the smart lights to turn on and off. You can set the timer on the remote controller if such an option is available or on the manufacturer’s app. If your smart lighting can be integrated with voice assistance devices, you can tweak the lighting schedule with your voice. This feature can help you minimise power wastage.  

• Software updates 

Like all things in life, your smart lighting too needs to keep up with the times. Great strides are being made to ensure smart lighting gets smarter. Therefore, you must update your smart lighting software and firmware regularly. The manufacturer will provide updates via push notifications, email, SMS, etc. Software updates are necessary as they patch vulnerabilities and errors. This also ensures that your smart lighting systems are compatible with your other smart devices. Keep tabs on notifications from the manufacturer so that you don’t miss important updates.  

• Integration with other smart devices 

If your smart lighting is part of your home automation, you are likely to own other smart devices like smart TVs, smart locks, voice assistance, etc. You may be able to integrate your smart lighting with voice assistance and control the lights with your voice.  

For instance, the Immensa Smart Base B22 Wi-Fi Enabled LED Bulb and the Immensa LED Batten from Crompton can be integrated with Amazon Alexa, allowing you to control the lights with your voice.  

Benefits of Smart Lighting 

Here are reasons why you should switch to smart lighting systems:  

• Energy efficient 

Most smart lighting systems use Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology to illuminate a space. LEDs consume relatively less energy than conventional incandescent and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) bulbs. Also, with features like sensor lights and timers, you can ensure that you’re not using the lights more than you have to.  

• Cost-saving 

You may find the initial cost of smart bulbs and battens high, but the energy cost you would save in the long run may compensate for the initial high cost. Smart lighting systems, through their numerous features, can help optimise your energy usage, allowing you to save on electricity costs. 

• Convenience 

The ability to control the lights from the comfort of your sofa or bed is simply wonderful. You can control the lights with a remote controller device or your voice. You can change the lighting settings without having to remove the lights from the sockets.  

• Ease of maintenance 

Most smart lighting systems are easy to maintain. You can clean them externally with a simple duster or cloth. If your smart lighting requires software updates, the manufacturer will send you timely notifications.  

• Security 

Smart lighting systems can also be integrated into your safety systems. For example, if you have a doorbell camera, you could program it to turn the lights at your entrance when someone approaches the front door. This can help enhance security by deterring criminals.  

• Environmental impact 

Electricity generation has a greater impact on the environment. Significant fuel is required to generate power, which results in the increase of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in the atmosphere. Since smart lighting systems are relatively more energy efficient, they reduce the amount of resources needed and their impact on the environment. 

Is it Possible to Upgrade to Smart Lighting? 

Yes, it is. Typically, intricate home automation systems require that they be built internally, at the time of home building or renovations. However, modern-day smart lights can be seamlessly integrated into your existing set up and no additional wiring is required.  

Take the smart bulb, for instance. All you have to do is screw it into your regular bulb socket and operate it with a remote controller, your smartphone or your voice. You can also replace your existing tube lights with smart LED battens easily.  

Takeaway 

Smart light systems can make your life easier. Also, they are extremely easy to install in any room. Crompton offers a range of smart lights which you can control using a smartphone or voice. Top features include smart controls, colour temperature control and Wi-Fi enabled. You can choose from 3 smart lighting options: the Immensa Lamp with 16mn colours and music mode, the Immensa Batten with tunability between Cool Day Light (CDL), Natural White (NW) and Warm White (WW) and the Immensa Panel with 16mn colours.  

Explore Crompton’s range of smart LED bulbs and smart LED tube lights today. 

FAQs on Smart Lighting 

• Is smart lighting expensive?

Note that smart lighting systems may be slightly more expensive than traditional lights. However, they can help minimise power consumption, making them a cost-saving option in the long term. 

• What are smart LED lights? 

LED lights that are Wi-Fi enabled and can be controlled with voice or smartphone apps are referred to as smart LED lights. 

• How long does a smart bulb last? 

Due to their energy-efficient features, smart bulbs can last significantly longer than incandescent or CFL bulbs. The average smart bulb can last up to 25,000 hours. In contrast, an incandescent bulb typically only lasts for 1,000 hours.  

• How can I control my smart lights with voice control? 

If you have a voice-controlled assistant like Alexa or Google Home, you can control your smart lights by connecting them to Alexa. You can launch the Alexa app on your smartphone, navigate to the ‘Add Device’ or similar option and select the option to add lights. Choose the smart light manufacturer and tap on ‘Discover Devices’. Follow the prompts and connect your smart lights to Alexa. 

• In which rooms should I install smart lights? 

Smart lights can be installed in all rooms of the house. You can change the light setting to set the right mood for the respective rooms.  

• Are smart lighting systems secure? 

As long as you follow the necessary precautions to secure your Wi-Fi network, you can minimise security risks against smart lighting.  

• What are the different types of smart lights? 

Smart LEDs and smart battens are some commonly available smart lights. They do not require additional sockets or equipment.  

• Can I control smart lights when I’m away from home? 

Most smart lights are Wi-Fi enabled. This means that you can control these lights from your smartphone or other smart devices, provided they have an internet connection.  

• Can I control multiple smart lights simultaneously? 

Most smart lights allow you to create groups which can control multiple lights together. You can turn all the grouped lights on or off and change other settings at the same time.