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In The News |
In The News
October 2005 New wireless technologies deliver affordable lighting control for new and existing homes By Dwight Branco For more than two decades, the elegance and convenience of user-controllable lighting has made the technology a standard feature for new construction of high-end luxury homes. Pre-wiring a penthouse or mansion with lighting-control technology would enable the homeowner to push a button and dim the lights to the desired levels for a cocktail party—or turn off lights throughout the property at night, by pressing a single button on a convenient keypad at bedside. Today, breakthroughs in wireless device-control and automation technologies are finally making this type of controllable lighting an affordable reality for middle-class homeowners. With wireless lighting-control products from innovative companies like Control4, every homeowner can easily and affordably enjoy the added convenience, efficiency and safety of lighting control. One of the driving forces in the lighting-control revolution is the manufacturer Control4, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company is dedicated to developing affordable home-automation products that can be cost-effectively retrofit in existing homes, as well as remodels and new construction. With Control4’s wireless solutions, it’s no longer necessary to hard-wire lighting-control systems into buildings during construction or remodeling, which greatly reduces labor costs and installation time. The firm’s wireless light-switches, dimmers and outlet modules make it easy and affordable to control lamps and light fixtures anywhere on your property—without the expense and hassle of running electrical wiring. Since wireless lighting-control products are modular solutions, you can ‘start small’ by upgrading just one or two of your light fixtures for wireless operation, and then expand the system as your needs and budget allow. Typically, a homeowner gets started by adding controllable lighting to a TV room or home theater, allowing the lights to be dimmed from the comfort of a sofa or armchair. With wireless lighting-control, both indoor and outdoor lighting scenes can be set-up for any number of events—and lighting changes can be triggered by simply pressing a button on a remote control, touchscreen, keypad or PC keyboard. Most Control4 systems are also Internet accessible, so they can be securely monitored from any Internet-connected device with a Web browser. Have you ever gone on vacation and set manual-timers on some of your indoor and outdoor lights to give your home that ‘lived in’ look? Now, with the single push of a button, an automated lighting scene can be executed to turn-on and turn-off pre-selected lights in the house at the time-intervals you set, to give the appearance that someone is home. Lighting-control systems also provide added safety and security to homeowners and their families. It’s easy to integrate controllable lighting with security and fire-alarm systems, providing invaluable assistance to occupants and emergency responders during a potential crisis. In the event of an alarm, for example, all entry/exit routes can be automatically illuminated and all outdoor lights can flash. This makes it easy for family members to exist the home—and makes the dwelling extremely visible to approaching emergency personnel. Finally, lighting-control systems are a great way to conserve energy. By simply setting all dimmable lights to 90 percent, you can reduce your energy consumption by 10 percent--without sacrificing visibility. Today’s wireless lighting-control systems are transforming sophisticated technology into elegant convenience—at a price that’s surprisingly affordable.### Dwight Branco is a founder and principal of Hood Branco Innovations, which has a design center in Grass Valley and is opening a showroom in Rocklin this fall. For more information, email Dwight@hb-innovations.com. You can also reach HBI by phone at 530.273.2600 or 916.601.9189. Reprinted with permission from "House to Home," November 2005. News ArchiveSelecting The Perfect Flat-Panel Displays For Your Home
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