Today, traditional lighting systems have been replaced by technologically advanced smart lighting solutions, which are gradually changing the way we think about building control regulations.

In recent years, the lighting industry has undergone some changes. Although some changes have occurred quietly and may not necessarily cause a lot of sensation outside the built environment, developments such as the emergence of automatic lighting control and automatic lighting have become a reality. LED technology has become mainstream and has greatly changed the lighting market.

The emergence of smart lighting that is fully integrated into the building operating system has proven the potential for further positive change-this technology combines multiple elements to provide a one-stop solution and is almost out of reach with traditional lighting.

1. Integration Method

Traditionally, lighting has been categorized as an isolated stand-alone system. Lighting has developed and requires a more flexible and integrated approach using open protocols to facilitate communication with other devices. In the past, most manufacturers designed and released closed systems that only communicate with their own products and systems. Fortunately, this trend seems to have reversed, and open agreements have become a routine requirement, which has brought improvements in cost, efficiency and experience to end users.

Integrated thinking begins at the standardization stage-traditionally, mechanical specifications and electrical specifications are considered separately, and true intelligent buildings blur the boundaries between these two elements, forcing an “all-encompassing” approach. When viewed as a whole, a fully integrated lighting system can do more, allowing end users to fully control their building assets by using lighting PIR sensors to control other elements.

2. Sensor

PIR sensors may be associated with lighting control and safety, but these same sensors can be used to control heating, cooling, access, blinds, etc., feedback information about temperature, humidity, CO2, and track movement to help determine occupancy levels.

After end users are linked to the building operating system through BACnet or similar communication protocols, they can use smart dashboards to provide them with the information they need to reduce excessive costs related to energy waste. These multifunctional sensors are cost-effective and forward-looking, easy to configure, and can be increased with business expansion or layout changes. Data is the key to unlocking some of the latest cutting-edge smart building applications, and sensors play an indispensable role in making modern room reservation systems, way finding programs, and other high-end “smart” applications work as expected.

3. Emergency Lighting

Testing emergency lighting on a monthly basis can be a laborious process, especially in large commercial buildings. Although we all recognize its importance in ensuring the safety of occupants, the process of manually checking individual lamps after activation is time-consuming and wasteful of resources.

After installing the intelligent lighting system, emergency testing will become fully automated, thus eliminating the trouble of manual inspection and reducing the risk of errors. Each lighting device can report its own status and light output level, and can report continuously, so that the fault can be located and resolved immediately after the fault occurs, without having to wait for the fault in the next planned test to occur.

4. Carbon Dioxide Monitoring

As mentioned above, the CO2 sensor can be integrated into the lighting sensor to help the building operating system keep the level below a certain set value, and ultimately improve the air quality by introducing fresh air into the indoor space when necessary.

The European Federation of Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Associations (REHVA for short) has been working to arouse people’s attention to the negative effects of poor air quality, and has published some papers suggesting that asthma, heart disease, and poor air quality in buildings will cause problems. Exacerbate allergies and many minor health problems. Although more research is needed, the current evidence seems to indicate that at least poor indoor air quality will reduce the efficiency of work and learning in the workplace as well as in schools and students.

5. Productivity

Similar studies on employee productivity have shown that lighting design and smart lighting systems can also improve the health of building personnel, increase energy levels, increase alertness and increase overall productivity. The integrated smart lighting system can be used to better mimic natural light and help maintain our natural circadian rhythm. This is often referred to as human-centered lighting (HCL), and places building residents at the core of the lighting design to ensure that the workplace is as visually stimulating as possible.

As people pay more attention to employee well-being and productivity, a lighting system that is fully synchronized with other building services and can communicate with existing equipment is an attractive long-term proposal for building owners and operators.

6. Next-generation Smart Lighting

As consultants, coders, and end users recognize the benefits of adopting a more comprehensive approach to electrical and mechanical specifications, the transition to an increasingly integrated built environment is progressing smoothly. Compared with traditional systems, the intelligent lighting system integrated into the building operating system not only provides unparalleled flexibility and efficiency, but also integrates numerous devices to provide a high level of visibility and control.

User-configurable smart sensors mean that lighting systems can now provide almost all building services through the building operating system, saving costs and providing the highest level of complexity in a single package. Smarter lighting is not only about LEDs and basic controls, but also requires more requirements for our lighting system and explores the potential for smart integration.