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It used to be that you walked into a room, flipped a switch, and turned the light on or off. Today, you will find a number of different lighting controls that make life more convenient. For instance, you will find some types of lighting controls designed to ensure lighting equipment or fixtures are turned on only when needed. This way, energy is not being wasted but being used on an as-needed basis. The result is a lower monthly energy bill.
Now, when you look at lighting controls, you would find two primary types associated with artificial lighting. First, there are on and off switches and second, dimmer switches. In both cases, lighting controls can be used manually. However, other options for these lighting controls are with a timing device, detectors, or light sensors. In addition, the elements can be used as a stand-alone solution or in combination, depending on your specific needs. If you have wall-mounted switches or pull switches, lighting controls would likely be manual. In fact, lighting controls would simply be part of the initial installation. Lighting controls that are dedicated automatic or semi-automatic, which can be customized, offer a number of benefits. For instance, these types of lighting controls mean the fixture is turned on only when needed, again reducing energy consumption while also regulating light output. This means you would have more opportunity to take advantage of available daylight. A quick summary on lighting controls is that a time controller automatically switches the fixture on or off at predetermined times or even intervals. For a presence detector, the fixture would automatically detect movement, thus turning the light on or off as needed. Lighting controls for daylight detection and switching controller monitors mean the light fixture can be turned on and off according to your personal needs. Lighting controls for daylight detection and regulation controller monitors also regulate light output of electrical lighting. Therefore, only sufficient artificial lighting is used for supplementing sunlight. Finally, lighting controls could be in the form of a central control unit, which manages the overall lighting control system. |
Lighting Types and Bulbs