Lighting is a big player in many electrical wholesale businesses, but are wholesalers making the most of lighting controls?
Forward-thinking electrical engineers, contractors and end-users are already seeing the benefits of lighting controls and the market is expected to grow by more than 10% every year for at least the next five years.
What does this mean for electrical wholesalers? Well, right now is the perfect time to position yourself as a lighting controls expert who is well equipped to advise contractors and installers. Your knowledge and influence should convince contractors and installers, who in turn will convince end users to invest in lighting controls to everyone’s benefit.
So, why should we all be investing more in lighting controls?
Smart lighting controls are able to change the mood and atmosphere of any space. The customer can adapt the lighting to their needs and elevate their space to a new level. Whether the lighting is for a commercial office or high-end residence, smart controls give customers the power to create the mood that they are looking for.
Take an office meeting room for example. A space like this is required for numerous functions such as delivering presentations, holding collaborative discussions, hosting a team event, or working in a quiet space. Naturally, these different functions will benefit from tailored lighting settings.
Lighting controls cannot only adjust brightness, but also the colour temperature of lights. Shifting from cool to warm changes the feel of a space to match the time of day, décor, or general mood. They certainly help to make any space much more impressive.
Thanks to science, we now know that our bodies rely on light to regulate our sleep-wake cycles. This means that lighting has an impact on how alert we are as well as our productivity levels and general well-being.
Lighting in the office, therefore, is having a big impact on employees. Studies have already found that giving employees control of their lighting zone in the workplace makes them feel more satisfied in their job. The right lighting also increases productivity and helps to prevent staff absence and sickness which saves businesses a lot of money.
Real Estate giant CBRE recently found that people working under light that is subtly adjusted throughout the day completed tasks 12% more effectively and generally felt happier, healthier and more energised.
If you can tell customers about just how much of an impact light can have on the health and productivity of others, they’re sure to be convinced of the importance and benefits of lighting controls.
Natural lighting is great and it’s also free. However, the time of day and the weather can cause indoor spaces to be too bright, too dark, too hot or too glary. However, the good news is we have controls to make indoor spaces more comfortable no matter what’s going on outside.
There’s not the option to have automated shades and sensors that detect the levels of brightness and adjust accordingly to keep the light and heat at the optimum level. Heating, ventilation and AV controls can also help with this.
One of the biggest benefits of lighting controls is saving energy and therefore money. Smart lighting allows us to dim lights when necessary and to automate them with motion sensors and scheduling. Presence detection and daylight harvesting can save between 20% and 60% of lighting costs.
Not only does saving energy cut costs, but thanks to the government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme, organisations can even get tax breaks for using approved energy saving technology.
Contractors and installers aren’t always aware of the full range of benefits that lighting controls offer. If electrical wholesalers can educate and advise them, there will be a bigger investment made in these products. This means more profit for you and plenty of benefits for your customers.
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