interior lighting control | light-building.eu

When designing a interior lighting control system for a properties, the primary objective is to consider how the spaced is going to be used – look at the functions. For example; dining with family and friends, evening relaxation, watching movie on the big screen, or plain utility operations such as cleaning and maintenance etc..
With each different function, a different lighting scene will change the mood, set the scene. The location of light fittings therefore is the first part of the technical design. As with all spaces, aim to have a selection of lights in the ceiling, on the walls, in cabinets, table lamps and finally in-floor light fittings. With this diversity, dimming the lights at different levels will completely change the whole mood of the space. And this is all achieved with 1 touch of a button.

The second design issue then is the lamp type and lamp fittings. Low voltage halogen lamps and dimmable LED lamps can be used but will require electronic dimming controllers.  Tests with dimmable compact fluorescents have not yet proved to be a viable proposition.  Never the less building regulations now require a pre-set level of eco-energy lamp types.

The lighting groups listed above; ceiling, wall, cabinets, table lamps and in-floor lamps are then split into circuits. The more circuits offers greater opportunity to create very precise lighting scenes. Typically, 1 or 2 circuits for the ceiling lights, 1 or 2 circuits for the bulk head lights, 1 or 2 circuits for the cabinet and table lamps, and a single circuit for the in-floor lights.

Each circuit would then be fitted with a light scene controllable light dimmer. This device would switch the lights on and off, plus set the light brightness to pre-set levels. One of the major advantages with using a light scene controllable lighter dimmer, is that there are no limits to the number of light circuits for a single space or indeed for the whole property.

The final stage is to fit a wall mounted control key pads to the walls at the main entrance points into the space, as well as having a hand held remote control devices. The light keypads and hand held remote control are used to first set up the light scenes. For example there will be a scene 1 for utility, scene 2 for entertaining and evening relaxing, scene 3 for dining and scene 4 for the movies.

Using just one of the key pads, each light scene is pre-set. The light levels are adjusted and saved as a scene. Then when ever that scene button is pressed on any key pad or on the hand held remote control, all the lights in the space softly fade to the pre-set values.

Creating light scene control for properties does not always require a full re-wire – as in some cases this work can be undertaken with minimal additional wiring and minimum work to the existing fixtures and fittings.