Lighting Automation and Controls Requested More Frequently Posted on March 27, 2017April 13, 2017 by Barb Nyberg According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, new home starts in April 2016 were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.1 million, 6.6 percent above the revised March estimate. Builder confidence also remains steady. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the confidence index of builders for the month of May remained at 58. The key takeaway is builders feel confident to keep constructing new houses. This bodes well for lighting controls in particular. The 14th Annual State of the Builder Technology Market Study found home automation installation in homes increased eight percentage points last year. Lighting automation has helped the home builder industry recover from the economic downturn nearly 10 years ago. As reported by the Consumer Technology Association’s report, the number of builders that have reported revenue increases has increased by more than 10 percentage points. “To expand their gains, builders should continue to market the benefits of smart home technology to generate buyer interest and increase revenue potential,” said Chris Ely, senior manager, industry analysis for the CTA in a press release. Lighting Controls Favored According to research from IBISWorld’s Building Lighting Control System Manufacturing report, the last five years have been full of innovation in controllable lighting. Manufacturers are placing an emphasis on energy efficiency and green technology, which has led to revenue increases as of November 2015. Moving Forward If trends continue, it is not unreasonable to assume that lighting automation systems will be installed in newly constructed homes. That being said, homeowners who recently purchased a house with structured wiring, or will in the near future, can still install automated systems. The CEDIA Expo took place in the middle of October 2016, and plenty of do-it-yourself automation equipment was on display. CE Pro highlighted the Lucis NuBryte, a system utilizing a touch-screen device to control connected loads. The system controls the lighting of the whole house although multiple panels will be needed throughout the house to fully benefit from automation. Philips also recently announced its Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 smart home hub is integrated with Apple’s HomeKit. This means users can now control Hue lightbulbs with Siri, which Silicon Angle calls a new automation experience. Builders and homeowners are requesting lighting automation systems be installed in more home construction projects. Two systems available at Border States Electric are Lutron Caseta and Legrand Intuity products. The technology is still underutilized, and can be a lucrative add to the solutions you offer your customers. Read more: EnergyMisers: How to Save Up to 46% on Your Energy Bills Savings in Controls: Lighting Control Basics Warehouse Lighting Needs to Become Smarter Understanding Smart Technology and the IoT The Rise of Intelligent Cities 3 Types of Motion Sensors for Construction Government Incentives for Going Green Understanding LED Dimming Systems LEDs Continue to Get Smarter E-commerce offerings: (Contact a Customer Service Representative for additional selections, options, and solutions.) Dimmers and Daylight Controls Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors Photo Controls Wiring Devices and Lighting Controls Call and speak with a Customer Service Representative, and let us help meet all of your supply needs (866-483-7289). Want to be eligible for online ordering? All you need to do is fill out this online form. Key benefits include: Order anytime, 24/7, 365 days a year. If you can connect, you can place an order. Create order templates, aka “My Lists.” Reduce search time, click, order, done. Track purchase history and view your account information. You can review invoices any time, track purchase history, and print or download records.
