What is lighting control?

You may hear people talk about the language of light, the interplay of focal glow, ambient illumination, and the play of brilliants. Well, I feel lighting control is the conductor, the rhythm and tempo to which this language is sung.

I have been lucky enough to work on some amazing projects through my career, from super prime residencies to super yachts and 5-star hotels across the world, and every single project needed lighting. 

Lighting makes such a huge impact on a space, and adding lighting control allowed for these environments to react to mood and activity and to make them fun and dynamic. The ability to turn your home office into a whisky lounge or to turn the living room into a cinema via the touch of a button. 

That’s lighting control.

 

Who is lighting control for?

Everybody. I can’t guarantee much, but I’ll bet you it will get dark at some point today. 

A standard light switch is lighting control; a rotary dimmer is lighting control. The size and components of your lighting control system just vary with your needs. 

Large office spaces might want the ability to turn lights off when nobody is in the space, to be able to dim lights when natural light is available, and to be able to change the colour of their reception lighting to match a promotion. 

A family may want to be able to reduce the amount of blue light in their home at night to promote good sleep hygiene, or they simply might want to be able to check to see if they left any lights on when they’re out of town. 

Lighting control doesn’t have to be complex; it doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does have to be useful, and it can add value in many ways. If you are curious, just ask!

 

“I say the best control system is the one you don’t have to use.”

 

How did you get into the industry?

Good question. I originally studied audio technology.

I thought I was going to be a loudspeaker designer. I’m still a hi-fi nerd, but I started working for a company in London specialising in high-end home cinemas, which scratched the audio itch. 

Home cinemas soon became whole-home audio, then eventually home automation, which exposed me to lighting control. I spent more and more time bringing these beautiful architectural spaces to life and really enjoyed working with designers and especially homeowners to help them get the most out of their system. 

Nothing beats sitting down with the people who live with and use these systems daily to find out their requirements and know where to customise and inject some fun. 

Lighting is one of the, if not the most used, products in a home, so to know I’ve helped make that a pleasing experience each time is why I’ve stayed with lighting control.

 

What is your favourite part of the job?

I say the best control system is the one you don’t have to use. 

I love talking through clients’ requirements and coming up with simple, elegant, and fun solutions. 

When it comes to talking about scenes, I like to ask them what they do within the space. Do they like hosting guests? Where do the kids do their homework? 

The answers they give shape the scene names and make it personal to them; the top button now becomes ‘Entertain’ or ‘Homework time’ or even having the lights automatically dim for bedtime. 

Pulling together lighting design, lighting control, and the clients needs in a creative way.

 

What ‘feature’ gets you excited about lighting control?

Ok, Colour Tuneable White (CTW) luminaires and lighting for health and wellness are huge. 

You may have heard how blue light is bad for you; it’s not, but it does depend on when you are exposed to it. A dose of blue light first thing in the morning helps reset your body clock, but do limit your exposure from the afternoon onwards. 

Exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin (sleepy hormone) productions and increases cortisol (awake hormone) production, so exposure to blue light later in the day is bad for sleep hygiene but can wake you up in the morning! 

Having lights that can change the amount of blue during the course of the day to compliment your natural body rhythm is awesome for helping you feel active when you need to be but also help you relax. 

You can achieve this with CTW luminaires, but because you are changing two parameters, colour temperature and brightness, you do need a lighting control system to make this happen. 

Another great reason to speak to Direct Control to discuss your options!

 

CONTACT AARON TODAY