Guide to Smart Lighting Control Systems for the Home

August 23, 2024

Smart lighting in the home operates through a combination of hardware, software and communication technologies to offer enhanced control, automation, and customization of lighting and power. Comprehensive smart home lighting systems simplify the ability to cater lighting to meet every day needs, simplify life and enhance wellbeing. In this guide, learn about the components of a smart lighting system, what you need to start managing your lights through an app, and how it can make your life easier.

Components of a Smart Lighting System

There are several components of a smart home lighting system, including several that are required and other optional add-ons.

  •  Smart Light Switches: These replace traditional light switches and can control standard bulbs. They often include wireless communication to integrate with smart home systems.

  •  Smart Outlets: These can be used to control lamps or other lighting fixtures that plug into standard outlets. They enable on/off control and sometimes dimming through an app.

  •  Smart Lighting Gateways: Some systems use a central hub to manage communication between smart bulbs, switches, and other devices. The hub connects to your home network and allows control via an app or voice commands.

  •  Smart Controllers: Devices like remote controls, wall panels or smartphone apps that allow you to interact with and manage your smart lighting system.

Lighting and Power Control Methods

  •  On-Wall Switches and Outlets: Some smart lighting systems can be controlled via physical switches, dimmers, or remote controls that communicate wirelessly with your smart bulbs or switches.

  •  Smartphone Apps: Most smart lighting systems come with a dedicated app that allows you to control your lights. You can turn lights on or off, adjust brightness, change colors, set schedules, and create lighting scenes.

  •  Voice Command: Integration with voice-controlled assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit allows you to control your lights using voice commands.

Ways to Customize Your Smart Lighting

    •  Morning and Evening Routine: In the morning, your smart lighting system automatically turns on the kitchen lights. When you leave for work, the system turns off all the lights. At night, dim your lighting to prepare for bedtime and set all the lighting in your home to turn off at a certain time. There is an adorne® Wake/Sleep Switch and a radiant® Wake/Sleep Switch.

  •  Automate Controls: You can set up automation rules and schedules through the app, such as turning lights on or off at specific times or in response to certain triggers. For example, you can set your outside lights to turn on at dusk and off at dawn, and your system will automatically adjust based on the exact sunrise and sunset times in your area.

  •  Home/Away Settings: Home and Away Settings let you automatically set the lights in your home on a schedule for when you’re away, so you’ll never have to worry about leaving on a light when you go to work. You can also adjust the home/away settings while you're on vacation, so that your smart lighting system simulates your presence by turning lights on and off at different times, giving the appearance that someone is home. There is an adorne® Home/Away Switch and a radiant® Home/Away Switch.

  •  Scenes: Create specific scenes based on your daily life to improve the ambiance and setting of your space to complete a task. For example, create a “Movie Night” scene where the living room lights dim to a warm color and the rest of the lights turn off. Or you can create a scene for “Dinner” that turns the kitchen counter and island lights up high and the dining room lights to a mid-level. Create scenes for getting work done, having guests over, game night, or any other activities you enjoy. There is an adorne® Scene Controller and a radiant® Scene Controller.

Interested in learning more about the Smart Lighting from Legrand? Browse our options and shop for the solution that best suits your needs.