Smart lighting

Lighting accounts for roughly 10% to 15% of a typical household’s electricity bill. Upgrading to smart lighting is one of the easiest ways to reduce this cost while improving the functionality and security of your home.

The foundation: LED technology

Before considering “smart” features, ensure that every bulb in your home is an LED (Light Emitting Diode). LEDs use up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer.

Benefits of smart lighting

1. Automated scheduling

Set your lights to turn off automatically when you go to bed or when the sun rises. You can also simulate occupancy when you are away on holiday for added security.

2. Motion sensing

Use smart motion sensors in hallways, bathrooms, and garages. The lights will only turn on when someone is in the room and turn off automatically after a set period of inactivity, eliminating wasted energy.

3. Dimming and mood setting

Smart bulbs can be dimmed to the exact level you need. Dimming a bulb by 50% reduces its energy consumption proportionally. You can also adjust the “colour temperature” (from cool white to warm amber) to match the time of day.

4. Remote control

Forget to turn the kitchen light off? You can turn it off from your phone without leaving your bed or even when you’re at work.

Smart lighting options

  • Smart Bulbs: The simplest entry point. Replace your existing bulbs with smart versions (e.g., Philips Hue, LIFX, or IKEA TRÅDFRI).
  • Smart Switches: Instead of changing the bulbs, you replace the physical wall switch. This is better for rooms with many spotlights or built-in fixtures.
  • Smart Plugs: Use these to bring “dumb” lamps into your smart lighting system.

Pro Tip: If you are using many smart bulbs, consider a system that uses a Hub (like Philips Hue or IKEA). These systems use the “Zigbee” or “Thread” protocol, which is more reliable and uses less energy than connecting every single bulb directly to your Wi-Fi router.

Quick wins for lighting

  1. Switch to LEDs first: This provides the biggest saving for the lowest cost.
  2. Use sensors in transient rooms: Bathrooms and hallways are where lights are most often left on by accident.
  3. Group your lights: Use your smart app to create “scenes” (e.g., “All Off” or “Movie Night”) to control multiple bulbs with one tap.