Rising environmental awareness and an increase in legislation relating to energy efficiency has meant the demand for LED lighting has surged in recent years. According to IBISWorld, the LED lighting industry is expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.6%, which is why there is no doubt that future buildings will incorporate these savvy, smart techniques and change the way we perceive our buildings.
We know that LED technology lights up an array of options when it comes to creating a more connected, sustainable world. The possibilities that come along with it allow for contractors, and other appropriate industries, to create new buildings that not only interact with the people working in it but also the systems and external elements that surround them.
Therefore it may come as no surprise when I say that in order to ensure we keep our buildings in tip top shape, architects, planners, construction workers need to implement smart technology from the very beginning.
Many businesses will see energy costs taking up almost a third of their budgets, money that (perhaps all of us agree) could be used more wisely. However, using smart technology such as lighting/heating control or LEDs, within the realms of our offices and workspaces can reduce these costs by 80%.
With the fragile climate we are currently in due to the pandemic and other climate pledges that have come from COP26, energy prices that businesses can rely on won’t be taken for granted, more now than ever.
In this day and age, the more intelligence and data connectivity a building has the better, right? Most definitely in this case. Going above and beyond our trusted Amazon Alexa’s, using interfaces in our buildings which understand the lighting fixtures, retrofitting these systems and implementing them into a connected lighting system will be crucial in your energy saving efforts.
Once these are installed, it then becomes very easy to update the system as new technology will inevitably evolve.
Like any team, whether that be a bunch of chefs in a restaurant working on a busy night or a group of footballers preparing for their big match, communication and cooperation is vital for any sort of success – and this works the same for buildings!
Buildings will suffer when data isn’t shared across their utilities, resulting in data silos. A data silo is a collection of data held by one group that is not easily/fully accessible by other groups in the same organization. For obvious reasons, these aren’t the best and not something you’d preferably want in the office.
This is where connected lighting comes into play, using universal sensors in your building that manage the lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (also known as HVAC) systems will be the best way that smart buildings can use data to the best of its ability.
Smart lighting control technology creates integrated buildings by using one sensor to control multiple devices, which in turn saves us more money in the process.
Using LEDs and other smart technology has evolved now to a point where it is easy to install in any building, not only commercial offices but also schools and high-rise buildings. It can also offer improved human-centric lighting designs, the art of creating lighting that mimics the natural daylight which drives our bodily functions.
You may also be interested in: How LED lighting can be used to improve our moods and physical health
As previously mentioned, the pandemic has massively changed the way we view our buildings. We have become more accustomed to what our body really needs for the most part of 8 hours a day. We have discovered what it favours and what it doesn’t, and also how important it is now to take our findings and implement them into our worklife.
Traditional lighting systems are designed for static use, which supplies continuous power to devices, but lighting control technology serves the newly founded hybrid work model. As many don’t spend 5 days a week in the office now, these new systems will become crucial for saving energy and money.
It is inevitable that the future of buildings will heavily consist of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies, well if we want them to be sustainable and smart anyway. Developers will be able to design technology that can read behaviors in a room and adjust its settings.
A universal example of this could be the sensor analytics, the controllers will be able to recognise when meetings usually take place in the boardroom and will therefore adjust the room’s brightness and temperature to match your comfort. Try not to let this creep you out too much, rather think about walking into an already heated room on a cold winter morning – it might just make your work life that bit easier!
We live in a world of constant technological advancements, combine this with the many incentives that come with smart lighting controls (such as affordability) we might start to see smart buildings sooner than we thought. Smart technology will revolutionize building design and any infrastructure for that matter, creating a more sustainable and cost-effective route for the future of our buildings!
Ready to take the step into the future of lighting? Contact Cube Lighting & Design here to see if you qualify for free LED lighting!
Want to keep reading? Check out our latest blog post here: Where LEDs fit into climate change goals
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