3 Ways to Save Energy with Lighting Control

The second biggest user of energy in your home—right after your heating and cooling system—is lighting. The electricity bill can go way up if you leave lights on, not to mention you are wasting resources and contributing to light pollution. Whatever your motivation is for cutting back on your energy, The Integrated Home can help with home lighting control. Here are three main ways to save energy in your Charlotte, NC home. 

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1. Install Dimmers

Installing dimmers is a great first step to making a difference. Every time you dim the lights you save energy. According to the lighting manufacturer Lutron, dimming the lights by 25 percent can save you up to 20% on energy. You'll shave some cost off your monthly utility bill and make your bulbs last longer. We have dimmers that are compatible with all kinds of different lights, like LEDs, halogens, and fluorescents. Certain models automatically save you 15% on energy. Of course the best time to dim the lights is during peak daylight hours, when the sun is high. Make most of the natural daylight and save your artificial lights for later in the evening. You can set your dimmers to lower lighting at certain times of day, or manually adjust them with your mobile device or a switch on the wall. Our wall plates will look stylish and will be easy to access so you can simply save with the swipe of your finger.

2. Add Occupancy/Vacancy Sensors

Occupancy sensors help you make saving energy a priority without all the extra work. This technology ensures that lights won't be left on due to forgetfulness. If you leave a room, it will know it and turn off the lights accordingly. Depending on the type of sensor you use, it can detect slight movements, like typing on a computer, or just major movements so your dog doesn’t keep turning the lights on

They can save you 20% on energy and last a long time. Daylight sensors, similarly, detect light and automatically make adjustments. If it's a bright, sunny day, the lights dim to a low level. If it's overcast outside, the light will stay bright.

3. Use Control4’s Energy Management System

The Integrated Home can integrate your smart lighting into your whole house control system. One of our control partners, Control4, offers customizable settings through their interface. All you have to do is create a setting, like a lighting level, and save it in the system. For example, create an energy-saving mode for when you leave the house for work in the morning. Monday through Friday, when you press the "away" button by the front door, all the lights turn off, the thermostat raises several degrees, and the shades go down to keep the house naturally cool and maintain privacy. On the weekends, your smart sensors will detect when daylight is sufficient and dim the lights accordingly. At the end of the day, you could leave the porch light on in the evening or shut all of them off at bed time. In this way, home automation ensures that energy will never be wasted and you will do your part in reserving resources for future generations.

The more people who make saving energy a priority, the more of a lasting impact our efforts will make. Contact The Integrated Home online and ask us about how we can create an energy-saving strategy in your home with lighting controls. We'd love to help you start using home automation to "go green."