Home is where the smart is.

Home lighting experts Samantha Hart, Christine Vas and Joe Rey-Barreau talk about connected lighting during a Facebook Live event for ALA and TraditionalHome.com.

Bright Ideas subscribers and visitors to TraditionalHome.com tuned in to learn about smart-home lighting design and security during a special Facebook Live event, June 19. See a replay of the webcast here.

GET
SMART

Enhance your safety & comfort.

A three-person panel of lighting industry veterans discussed smart-home lighting and took questions from consumers during a Facebook Live event June 19.

The conversation covered layering of light and how wifi-enabled bulbs and switches can enhance the overall home lighting experience. While convenience is an attractive feature of smart- and connected-home products, homeowner safety is a driving force in their surge in popularity and innovation.

Among the consumer questions answered during the event: Can LEDs go from warm to cool, and can the same bulb offer different temperatures? As the panel explained, many LED bulbs are able to change color temperatures, however not every LED source has that capability. Shoppers must check the bulb packaging to determine what a particular bulb can do.

Click here to watch a replay of the Facebook Live event featuring Samantha Hart of Meredith Publishing and Lighting magazine, cybersecurity specialist Christine Vas of CSA Group, and architect and lighting designer Joe Rey-Barreau of ALA and the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design.

For more information about home lighting connectivity, pick up a copy of Lighting magazine, go online to ALALighting.com or stop by your nearby ALA-member showroom.

Juno - Acuity Brands

Lutron Electronics Company

FAN
FAVE

Just set it and forget it.

Connected devices do not just refer to lighting. A whole array of electronic appliances including window shades, ceiling fans and thermostats can be controlled remotely with connected and smart devices.

One of the easiest items to install that makes an instant impact on your room design and personal comfort is a ceiling fan with a smart control that can be set to your desired schedule. For example, whatever time of day the warm sun streams into your room, set the fan to automatically help you and your family stay cool.

In a bedroom, connect the fan's light with other ambient room lighting to create settings for sleeping and waking to maintain your circadian rhythm for better health.

For more lighting tips and ideas, go online to ALALighting.com.

Image above courtesy of Fanimation

Kichler Lighting

EXPERT
ADVICE

Ask a lighting professional.

What does it mean to be Energy Star-certified?

The Energy Star designation is your guarantee that a product will last longer and perform more efficiently than non-certified products. To earn the Energy Star designation a light bulb or other product must meet a long list of criteria, ensuring their safety, quality and efficiency. The product testing is performed by a third party to assure all standards are met without bias.

Energy Star bulbs deliver the same amount of light as non-certified bulbs, just more efficiently. The only difference you will see when using Energy Star-certified bulbs, as well as other products, is a cost savings on your utility bill.

To learn more about energy efficient light bulbs and fixtures, visit a nearby ALA-member showroom.

Z-Lite Lighting

Questions about lighting your home?

Click here to ask an expert.

Find an ALA-member lighting showroom near you. 

Visit ALA online.