Are Smart Lighting Solutions The Smart Option For Your Business Energy Consumption?

Just about everything is becoming smart. From home devices to TVs, doorbells, and even vacuum cleaners. With the technology available to make any typical domestic and commercial appliance ‘smart’, even the tools we use to control heat and lighting have become smart. Now we are seeing the rise of smart lighting, both in homes and in businesses. With the use of smart light bulbs. But what benefits do they provide and are they really the smartest option when it comes to saving you money?

How to utilise smart lighting in workplaces 

In order to get the most out of smart lighting, it’s a good idea to think about how best to apply this to your business. But first, consider how exactly does smart lighting work? And what makes it different to traditional bulbs like LEDs? 

Smart bulbs are actually a variation of an LED bulb. They are simply internet-connected. Making them a much more customisable lighting option. Smart bulbs can be accessed both manually but also by mobile devices via brand applications. These apps allow users to customise their lighting usage down to very specific requirements, such as the colour of the bulb, brightness, timing of the light being on or off. With accessibility via an app, this also means that lighting throughout the building, wherever it may be, can be controlled off-site.

The benefits of smart lighting for business

For businesses the option to switch bulbs to smart bulbs provides a number of benefits. 

From gaining even greater control over the usage of lighting, to controlling the intensity of lighting and creating the perfect working environment. 

For businesses looking to cut back on their energy consumption, smart bulbs allow time scheduling and the ability to control lighting from outside the room. So, on one of those days where you’re rushing to get home from work and forget to switch off the lights, you can simply access the bulb via the mobile app and turn off the lights, from home, the supermarket, the kids’ school or just outside the building. Plus, being able to schedule your lighting use means when the lights don’t need to be on or very bright, you can control this, helping to minimise energy waste and cut back your business energy costs. 

What’s more, with this added control you can create a working environment that is comfortable but encourages productivity for your employees. Many studies into the working environment and how lighting can impact a person’s productivity levels have been conducted. With results highlighting that lighting that matches the typical movement of the sun throughout the day, from brightness to positioning, has a positive effect on a person’s ability to focus. With many employees found to struggle when working in very brightly lit environments. 

Factors to consider when going smart

As with all IoT products, smart bulbs do come with some concerns. Particularly if you consider the security of these technologies. While we continue to see developments within the security of new IoT devices, it is vital that you pay attention to the vulnerabilities of your chosen smart lighting solution. Considering how it may put your business at risk of attacks. Some good ways to avoid putting your business at risk are to do your research and to keep your smart bulbs and other smart devices connected to a separate network that would not allow access to any of your business’ financial and sensitive data. 

Switching to smart LED light bulbs isn’t essential but in conclusion it can certainly offer your business some benefits and give you greater control over your energy usage. Meanwhile, for those who are yet to be convinced by smart devices, simply switching traditional bulbs to standard LED bulbs is an excellent way to improve the energy efficiency of your business and cut your energy costs. 

For more smart devices, why not consider a business smart meter? Monitor your energy consumption, spending and more in a simple and easy-to-use way. For more energy saving tips and advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of your business premises, check out more of our D-ENERGi blogs.