Install Smart Lighting Controls
Turning off lights just got easier! Upgrade to WiFi controlled smart lighting, timers, or other lighting options and save up to 30% of the energy you use for lighting.
Your Impact
Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
This easy action will save you energy and money, and provide additional safety and security to your home. New WiFi controlled starter light kits cost between $100-$200, and additional bulbs cost $20. Upgrading your light switches to smart switches or dimmers will cost around $50-80 and $30-$50 for smart motion sensor lights. Read on to learn more.
1Learn about smart lighting options
New smart lighting options can now provide unmatched convenience, personalization, and energy savings! Here’s the lowdown on what they offer:
Smart, WiFi controlled lighting. New WiFi controlled lighting brings lighting control to a whole new level! Smart lighting lets you control your lighting from a smartphone, tablet or computer. How do they work? Smart bulbs, plugs or switches connect to your WiFi network and you can adjust the brightness, color, or warmness of the bulb with your phone. In fact, most systems can now be paired with voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant or others allowing you to control your lights with your voice.
Timers and schedules. The real benefit of smart lighting is that you have unlimited opportunities to personalize your lighting use through setting schedules and timers—reducing the energy spent on lighting your home with little effort. Do you tend to fall asleep while reading with the light on? You can easily set a timer for your smart lights to shut off after a set amount of time. What if your lights could come on automatically when the sun goes down? Or certain lights automatically turned off after 8 pm? This can easily be done by setting a schedule for your smart lighting system. Timers can also control lighting while you are away on vacation to make your home look occupied.
Dimmer controls. Dimmer controls allow you to lower the lighting to just what you need and save energy. If you dim the light 50%, your energy use drops 50%. This can be done easily on the app or by installing a smart dimmer switch. See step 2 for more info.
Sensors. Do you wish your lights would turn off automatically when you leave a room? Adding motion or light sensors into your smart lighting system is another way to turn lights on and off automatically only when you need them. Outdoor lighting with motion-controls and photosensors can illuminate pathways when needed and provide security. Adding motion sensors to indoor lighting in your bathrooms, garage, closets, pantry, and laundry room can keep lights turned off when not in use.
Not sure you want the WiFi option? No problem. Traditional dimmer controls, motion and light sensors, and manual timer controls are all good options too! They tend to be a little cheaper than the smart WiFi devices, but may be more difficult to install. Learn more about installation in Step 3.
2Choose smart lighting devices
There is a range of smart lighting products available on the market that can be used together or separately. Many are completely wireless and can be installed by anyone in just a few minutes. Take some time to learn what each system offers to see what meets your needs best.
Smart bulbs. Smart bulbs connect to your WiFi directly or via a hub. Just install the WiFi bulbs in your light fixtures as you would any bulb, load the controller app onto your smartphone, computer or tablet, and you are ready to go—no wiring required. These bulbs start as low as $20 each (with a 20+ year lifetime) and the hubs range around $100-200. Systems can accommodate as many as 50 bulbs, so you can control your entire home from the comfort of your couch, or even when you’re not home! Your existing light switches will still work to turn your lights on and off, so you don’t have to worry about finding your phone in the dark. Plus, these bulbs can also be paired with smart switches and dimmers, so you won’t have to pull out your phone each time. As an extra bonus, some bulbs come with fun features like colors or special effects. Go from regular white light during the day to soft, colored lighting at night to fit your mood.
Smart plugs. Smart plugs are another super simple and inexpensive way to get smart lighting capabilities. Simply plug the smart plug into the existing outlet and then plug in your lamp (or another electronic device). These plugs have a WiFi chip that connects to your network making it possible to turn the lamp on/off, dim the light, set timers and more from the app on your phone. The plug also has a physical switch on it so you can operate the device without the app. Smart plugs typically cost $10-30 per plug depending on the features, but they are easy to use!
Smart switches. Don’t want to look for your phone to control your lightbulbs? You may prefer smart light switches. These switches also connect to your WiFi and provide all the same customization as the options above, but you can control the dimmer and some features right from the light switch. These smart switches and dimmers come in both wired and wireless versions. For super easy convenience, opt for a wireless option. Simply mount the wireless smart dimmer switch where you want it (some are even magnetic and can be moved around). Set up the switch on your app and you now have a dimmer switch—with zero wiring needed. If you opt for the wired switches, follow the directions carefully or have an electrician install them for you.
Traditional options. If you would prefer to opt for more traditional automated lighting options like dimmers or sensor switches, it is a relatively quick and easy job. If you are comfortable working with simple wiring, you could do the job yourself. Check out these how-to videos on how to install a dimmer switch and sensor lights for more information on what’s involved. For all lighting projects that include wiring, if you decide to do the installation yourself, be sure to follow installation instructions and safety precautions, as well as building codes or regulations. If you are not ready to take on wiring, contact a licensed professional for help!
3Choose your lighting options, install, and save!
Identify areas in your home that could benefit from automated lighting and choose your lighting options. Then install and save!
Most smart lighting devices can be installed simply, with no hard wiring necessary. Simply follow the instructions to connect to your system and get started.
Congrats! You have completed another simple energy-saving action.