Lighting Controls

Lighting Controls

One of the best ways to reduce lighting costs and lighting energy use is to turn off lights when you are not using them. Lighting controls can help you save energy and money by doing this automatically.

Benefits of Lighting Controls

Lighting controls reduce lighting energy use and increase the life of light bulbs, which leads to dollar savings. They can also allow for better security by lighting dark pathways or by making your unoccupied home look occupied.  With the help of lighting controls, you can design how you want your lights to behave based on time of day, mood, and many other factors.

What Are My Options?

• Dimmers.  Dimmer controls can be used indoors with incandescent and fluorescent lamps.  Dimming these lamps helps save energy by reducing their wattage and output.
   
• Occupancy sensors. Occupancy sensors detect when a person enters or leaves a room and turn the lights on or off accordingly.  There are two types of occupancy sensors, ultrasonic (sound) and infrared (heat/motion).
   
• Timers. Timers can be used indoors and outdoors to turn lights on and off at specific times. 
   
• Motion sensors.  Motion sensors automatically turn lights on when they detect motion.  They are most effective when used in outdoor fixtures with incandescent lamps.
   
• Dusk-to-dawn photocells/photosensors.  Dusk-to-dawn photocells automatically turn outdoor lights on at dusk and off at dawn