Smart Lighting for Outdoor Settings
Outdoor lighting for outdoor settings sets the night’s mood and lets you keep those unforgettable evenings alive. Perhaps you want to take it to the next level with Smart Lighting. Streb Electric can help you make it happen.
Summary
This article explores the innovation of smart outdoor lighting, showcasing its technological integration for efficient and customizable illumination in outdoor spaces. It delves into various fixtures and techniques such as uplighting, downlighting, and step lights, emphasizing their contributions to ambiance and safety enhancement. Highlighted benefits include energy efficiency, remote control access via smartphones, and heightened security measures facilitated by motion sensors. If you want to learn more about how to go about setting up smart lighting in an outdoor setting, our team at Streb Electric can provide guidance in implementing these advanced smart lighting solutions.
What is “smart lighting”?
Today’s lighting systems combine the best parts of new technology into a “smart” system. Smart lighting is one aspect of smart outdoor lighting.
By “smart,” we mean they can think for themselves rudimentarily. The controller is connected to Wi-Fi and can be controlled through an app on your phone or tablet. You can preset timers whether you’re at home or not. And if you have a photocell attached, your lights will automatically turn on and off when they sense that it’s dark or light outside.
Modern landscape smart lighting is also low voltage, meaning it uses much less electricity than its older counterparts. Also, all fixtures are LED, which produces just as much light with less heat — so there’s no chance of your pine straw mulch bursting into flames (which has happened to people with older systems!).
What types of light fixtures are available?
Lighting Techniques & Types
There are many different types of lighting for many different lighting strategies. For instance, some lights are more useful and used for specific tasks. Others provide accents, highlighting certain aspects of a landscape.
Essential list of the most common techniques and types:
Uplighting and downlighting. If you want to highlight the architectural features of your home or a specific part of your garden, uplighting is achieved by installing lights in or on the ground. Placing a light on your roof or in a tree is called downlighting because these lights cast downward shadows. Both techniques create ambiance or mood or draw the eye to specific focal points in a landscape.
Post lights. These are standard posts on the ground with a lamp on the top. These are common for lighting pathways.
Inground “bullet” lights are standard for lighting pathways and patios. When installing these, we drill into the stone or pavement and put the lights directly into the holes. These provide a sleek, almost runway-like feel since they’re flush with the grade. With galvanized aluminum finishes, they never rust and are great for modern landscape designs.
Step lights. We install these safety features underneath the risers or steps of stairs, preventing anyone from tripping or falling! They also are great for “wayfinding” — helping guests navigate a new landscape by lighting the ideal pathway.
Undercap lights. These are installed underneath the “caps” of certain hardscaping features. For instance, I’ve worked on mortared stone sitting walls that surround gathering spaces in a landscape — such as a fire pit or patio. These walls have a stone “cap” on the top, and we install lights designed to fit underneath the cap, creating an incredible glow.
String lights. Perfect for patios! String lights are a common way to add some ambiance to a communal area in a landscape.
Water feature & custom lighting. There are no limits to the techniques and types of lighting you use in a landscape!
Benefits of Smart Lighting for Outdoor Settings
The obvious benefit of adding a landscape lighting system to your property is to make more of your outdoor space available after nightfall. We joke about how you will never want to go back inside, but it’s true — when your landscape is beautifully and thoughtfully lit, staying outside is worth it!
Other Good Reasons
It’s easy to use! As we mentioned, you can control everything with the tap of your finger. Transform your garden into a gathering place for friends and family. There is no need to be limited by daylight. Smart lighting lets you and your loved ones enjoy being outside all night— without even thinking about turning the lights on.
It will complement and even enhance your landscape. Two words: curb appeal! Accent critical features of your landscape, add subtle step lighting to your front entranceway or light up the edges of your patio with bullet lights. And as a bonus, your landscape will be much safer to navigate once it’s dark out.
It will save you on electricity bills compared to conventional lighting! Today’s low-voltage LED systems use very little power, and with the additional smart features like the ability to sense outdoor lighting conditions, you’ll use even less energy.
Keep the night going.
Today’s smart lighting system sets the tone for the evening and lets you keep those unforgettable nights alive as long as you want.
Outdoor smart lighting offers several benefits, combining innovative technology’s convenience with outdoor lighting’s practicality. Here are some advantages of outdoor smart lighting:
Energy Efficiency: Smart outdoor lighting systems often use energy-efficient LED bulbs, allowing precise control over brightness and scheduling. This can save energy by ensuring that lights are only on when needed.
Remote Control and Automation: With outdoor smart lighting, you can remotely control and automate your lights using a smartphone or a smart home hub. This allows you to turn lights on or off, adjust brightness, and set schedules from anywhere, enhancing convenience and security.
Security Enhancement: Outdoor smart lighting can contribute to home security. Motion sensors and scheduled lighting can deter intruders by creating the illusion of an occupied home. You can program lights to turn on automatically when motion is detected or even when you’re away from home.
Integration with Smart Home Systems: Many outdoor smart lighting systems can be integrated into broader smart home ecosystems. This integration lets you control outdoor lights and other smart devices, creating a seamless and interconnected home automation experience.
Increased Safety: Well-lit outdoor spaces enhance safety by reducing the risk of accidents and improving visibility. Smart lighting can be programmed to illuminate paths, stairs, and entrances, making it safer for residents and visitors to navigate outdoor areas.
Customization and Ambiance: Smart outdoor lighting often allows for customizable color options and brightness levels, enabling you to create different atmospheres for various occasions. You can adjust the lighting to match your preferences for a party, relaxation, or outdoor dining.
Weather-Responsive Lighting: Some advanced smart lighting systems can be equipped with weather sensors. These sensors can adjust the lighting based on weather conditions, ensuring appropriate illumination during fog, rain, or other adverse weather situations.
Longevity of LED Bulbs: Many outdoor smart lighting solutions use LED bulbs, known for their energy efficiency and long lifespan. LED bulbs generally require less frequent replacement, reducing maintenance costs and inconvenience.
Environmental Impact: By using energy-efficient LED bulbs and implementing smart controls, outdoor smart lighting can reduce environmental impact. Lower energy consumption and longer-lasting bulbs mean fewer resources are needed for manufacturing and disposal.
Enhanced Aesthetics: Smart outdoor lighting can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor spaces. Whether highlighting architectural features, landscaping, or creating artistic lighting effects, smart lighting allows for creative expression and design flexibility.
Increased Property Value: Well-designed and implemented outdoor smart lighting can add to the overall curb appeal of a property. This could increase its market value, especially if the lighting enhances the aesthetics and security of the home.
When considering outdoor smart lighting, choosing a system that aligns with your specific needs and integrates seamlessly with your existing smart home ecosystem is important.
If your interest is piqued, reach out to Streb Electric and ask about smart lighting — we’ll be glad to help you out and even give you an estimate.
