The introduction of smart lighting into the home is very simple. It is worth planning in advance where and what type of solutions we want to use, so that they can become an integral part of the home management system. This will give us not only energy savings, but also incomparably greater opportunities to create scenes and scenarios involving light.
Intelligent lighting gives us the ability to create scenes and scenarios involving light
Photo: YAK / Studio Budzik / ABB / Modular Lighting Instruments
Minor changes
If we don't want to invest in an entire smart home system, or if we already have light fixtures installed, we can opt for wireless light control from mobile apps or dedicated switches (switches). One of the more popular solutions of this type are smart bulbs and accessories, which we can precisely manage. They are available for E27 and GU10 fixtures, so commonly used in interiors. We control each bulb separately, but when connected to a bridge (bridge) we are able to control a more extensive system. This is a technology that can be implemented in any interior and installation, in addition, very quickly and without renovations. However, it is quite expensive - each bulb is an expense of several hundred zlotys. The system is also based on a wireless connection, and therefore less stable. We can also, instead of Wi-Fi control (ZigBee protocol), use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication.
If you do not want to decide on a whole smart home system, choose smart light bulbs
Photo: YAK / Studio Alarm Clock / ABB / Modular Lighting Instruments
DALI standard
When looking for truly smart lighting, you need to look at DALI (short for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) control. It is based on a digital signal transmitted to specific addresses and groups of lighting fixtures. DALI allows for simpler and more flexible management of lighting elements - both individual luminaires and groups of them. It allows to connect a maximum of 64 lighting elements (larger numbers of luminaires require additional buses). Installation in this standard needs fewer switches, allows the creation of advanced lighting scenes and reduces the number of wires needed. In analog control, the signal is sent only to the luminaires, but in DALI it can also run the other way. This allows you to collect information, for example, about the status of individual points. DALI control itself is not a smart system, but it is an important component of professional smart lighting.
DALI control allows for simpler and more flexible management of lighting elements
Photo: YAK / Studio Budzik / ABB / Modular Lighting Instruments
Systemic management
DALI lighting is worth combining with KNX, a new-generation electrical installation standard that allows common communication between all electricity consumers in a building. What does such a solution give us? Outdoor lamps can emphasize the mass of the building and allow us to arrange the garden or home environment. Thanks to the use of sensors and a timer, we can set them to turn on by themselves after dusk. Directional surface-mounted fixtures will help expose selected elements of the interior design, while linear lighting is great for building backgrounds or moods. We can integrate them, for example, with an audio-video system, so they will provide a vivid scenography synchronized with sound and video. Importantly, the lamps can be precisely managed through a traditional switch on the wall, as well as a control panel connected to the installation in the KNX standard, a smartphone or tablet, a motion sensor or through voice commands. Using modern LED systems, we can also decide on the temperature or intensity of the lighting. Using smart systems also gives savings in energy consumption. This is because we are able to control the intensity of lighting according to the intensity of daylight or the presence of a person in the house. A timer will turn the lights on and off at set times. All the lights in the house will automatically turn off when no one is home.
KNX installation helps us save money on lighting
Photo: YAK / Studio Alarm Clock / ABB / Modular Lighting Instruments
Smart solutions
Combining DALI lighting with KNX standard installation makes our lives significantly easier. When the car is in the driveway, the lights are already on - thanks to communication with a smartphone, for example, which will remotely activate the lights around the home environment when it detects that we are already close to the house. For safety, the house can also turn the lights on and off according to our daily routine. This is known as presence simulation, a type of security in which the alarm system is coupled with the lights. Home sensors can also take care of our safety when we are at home. The system will turn on a soft light to guide us down the hallway when we go to the bathroom at night.
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