Lighting control systems used to be upmarket, but with recent advances they are more accessible and affordable. Sean Carroll looks into the business opportunities for electricians.

In the late 2000s the first iPhone was announced, and iPads were just around the corner.

Software developers were making apps left right and centre. It was the hip, hot thing to do.

Technology had advanced enough to let us throw brightly coloured birds at evil pigs, or Google images of cats, on our little handheld devices.

‘App’ was named 2010 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society. Apple’s collection of apps grew from 500 in mid-2008 to more 300,000 in late 2010.

The number of apps and total downloads is still steadily increasing, but things have calmed down. However, it looks like we’re in another technological boom with the influx of contractor-grade and DIY lighting control systems.

Many previous lighting and/or electrical companies are venturing into the lighting control market and touting their strengths and capabilities.

The technology allows clients to manipulate their lighting, and sometimes even the TV set, speakers, blinds or security systems from a phone or by voice activation.

Most lighting control systems have scenes – the ability to preset an array of lights or certain colours or warmth, set schedules or change the tone of white lights to match sleep cycles.

The latter involves programming lights to go off at certain times, helping to induce sleep by releasing melatonin with warm colours. Waking up is enhanced with a slow rise in colour temperature.

This technology is not new, but it’s now more available and affordable thanks to developments in wireless technology.

Additionally, the increased accessibility of virtual assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home has encouraged customers to develop a smart home. The marketing suggests that it is easy, which is up for debate, but most lighting control systems can be managed and even extended with these products.

Ben Green is chief marketing officer at Evolt, the parent company of WiZ lighting. Ben believes that increasing house prices and the number of householders struggling with mortgage repayments will motivate owners to renovate rather than move.

With lighting systems being controllable via a mobile device or voice assistant, a dwelling upgrade can be done for a relatively modest outlay.

“We have an increased population, wages have been stagnating and interest rates are at historic lows,” Ben says.

“People have a bit of extra cashflow at the moment so they may change their environment a little bit. Why not install a lighting control system?”

Ben also cites the success of Bunnings as the renovation market grows, and contractor-grade or DIY lighting control systems are popular home technology investments. But how does this affect electricians or integrators?

Integrators typically work with high-end, full home automation systems with complete third party interoperability.
However, electricians have the opportunity to implement minor lighting control elements without encroaching on their existing trade.

Kasta, the lighting control branch of Haneco Lighting, was launched early in 2019 and Ben Clarke is national sales manager.

“The likelihood of every single contractor wanting to learn how to install these lighting control systems is minimal at the moment,” he says.

“So, for us as a supplier, we want to tell electrical contractors that this is an addition to their business and doesn’t require any additional training or time. Everything you learnt at TAFE and on the tools still applies.”

Ben acknowledges that he can’t come into the market and ask electrical contractors to change their day-to-day operations. That’s why some lighting control systems are aimed at making life as easy as possible for contractors.

Kasta’s range of mechanisms and modules are installed in a similar way to standard lighting solutions and are fully
programmable from a mobile device. (WiZ Lighting can be completely DIY or installed by an electrician.)

“We respect contractors for their skills,” Evolt’s Ben Green says.

“Customers want better lighting and better control. They want it to be easier, they want voice control, more affordability, and so on.

“Make the product so there’s no effect on contractors’ capabilities. Let them run the wires, let them design the installation and let them talk the talk the way they want to. Respect them for who they are and give a lot of the features over to the customer.”

The company Brilliant Smart, the lighting control branch of Brilliant Lighting, provides DIY products and a few that require an electrical contractor. With products like these, contractors could even install the DIY level products while achieving a more advanced service and client experience. Each product has its own installation guide and method of controlling the lighting, for example:

• WiZ Lighting lets users control the actual light fitting;
• Arlec Grid Connect links users to a power board or plug extension; and,
• Kasta lets users control from behind the plug, linking them to mechanisms and modules among other methods.

The best thing about offering this service is that, after installation, the initiative is in the clients’ hands for residential or commercial jobs. They can configure it to how they want it – schedules, scenes, lighting groups and more.

Contractors won’t be called out again to change the wiring or reconfigure the system. Because most of these companies have branched out from lighting, the product range is quite mature, the only difference being the control methods.

The most popular lighting solutions are usually transferred to control systems but, with time, the successful companies will extend their range of controllable lighting solutions. This means there is clear room for growth in the near future, and it’s something all potential customers can see.

The only question remaining is: what product are you going to back?

The market is still in its infancy, with change and expansion on the horizon. In this issue of Electrical Connection you will find a comparison guide of some products on the market.

It’s no skin off your nose to install, and you’re still going to provide clients with the best available option with little to no change in your operations. How this young market will look in the future is unknown, but it certainly will be shaped by the people installing the systems – electricians.

Click HERE to download a spreadsheet with all contractor-grade and DIY lighting control systems.