Which Smart Lighting systems are suitable for professionals?

Digitised lighting can not only be switched on and off smartly. In this way,you can configure room by room and the lighting conditions can be adjusted according to your needs or time of day. With a Smart Home lighting system, you also have the option of combining different light sources. Almost all lighting management systems can be easily implemented or retrofitted. As a rule, however, it is not only the lighting control system that is intelligent. Smart Home means that the system networks and automates all installations and systems. The following blog article will introduce you to the different systems and help you decide on a Smart Home system.

In offices, businesses & co.: Smart lighting control creates more sustainable working environments - whether in an office, a production hall or a shop. On the one hand, the light is automatically adjusted to the respective working environment/time of day and thus promotes the employees' ability to see and concentrate. On the other hand, the use of a Smart Home system also ensures highly efficient room and resource management. Because: Not only the lighting is automatic and needs-based, but also the ventilation, heating, shutters and much more. Once you have invested in intelligent building management, your business will save energy and possibly even labour costs. You will then only need to call in the building services in emergencies - the rest can be set once or conveniently controlled as needed with your smartphone or smart remote controls and switches. 

In a private household: A smart home system makes the home and everyday life more efficient. You save yourself many daily trips to light switches, thermostats, blinds, etc. and at the same time you save energy costs - because the power-guzzling lighting can be adjusted as needed.

Of course, you have more possibilities to set up a comprehensive Smart Home system in your own home - but even in rented flats, depending on the Smart Lighting strategy you choose, you can digitise and automate your lighting and more with just a few simple steps. 

There are many different solutions for lighting automation. In the following text parts, we have summarised the most popular Smart Lighting strategies for professional lighting equipment and show you the differences between the individual Smart Home systems.

The Tuya brand was founded in 2014 and operates internationally with headquarters in the USA, Germany, India, Japan, Colombia and China. With the Tuya Smart System, light fixtures from different manufacturers can be controlled, provided the products have a Tuya module. This is a decisive advantage of Tuya over the competition: consumers are not tied to one brand, but opt for an open smart home system. In addition to illuminants, the Tuya system is also installed in heaters, cameras of security systems and other devices. Tuya is one of the largest B2B platforms for smart home solutions. No technology worldwide currently supports more smart home devices than Tuya. The radio standard Zigbee 3.0 is used as a basis. 

Tuya modules can be found in countless different products. With us, you can purchase high-quality LED lighting from Calex including Tuya Smart Home technology.

Tuya Smart Lighting is compatible with the Google Home voice assistant, Apple HomeKit and Echo by Amazon. In addition, the products can be switched on and off as well as controlled via smartphone and tablet with the Tuya Smart App (available for Android and iOs devices). The clearly arranged user interface offers you the possibility to adjust the light intensity, colour and temperature to the time of day and your mood as well as to set up automations (light scenarios, time-controlled programmes). Furthermore, you can group light sources with the Tuya Smart App.

If you do not want to regulate the Tuya lighting via app or voice control, you can use the following control options: Remote control, light switch, sensor/motion detector. 

Advantage Tuya: Since all Tuya compatible products are equipped with a WLAN module, no additional hardware (such as a bridge or smart sockets) is required. All you need is a WLAN router.

DALI (stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is an interface protocol for digital communication between lights and electronic control gear for lighting technology such as electronic ballasts or transformers. With the DALI protocol, you can therefore dim your lighting and switch it on and off. DALI is bus-compatible and can therefore be easily integrated into a higher-level building control system. Nevertheless, DALI is rather the exception in Smart Home systems, as you can only use it to automate and control the lighting. Moreover, converting to DALI is only worthwhile in the case of a complete new installation or even a new building, because with the DALI system two additional cables are required on each light source and accessory. Another disadvantage: DALI-compatible products cannot be controlled through an app, so you have to use the light switch. However, you have a large product selection to choose from: panels, tubes, ceiling fixtures, high-bays, ceiling spots and many other LED luminaires but also LED light sources and accessories such as sensors and emergency modules come with the DALI protocol. Several brands, such as Philips, Noxion or Ledvance, offer DALI-compatible products. In addition, other products such as blinds or doorbells and surveillance cameras can be integrated into a DALI protocol. Another advantage: Each device has its own IP address and can therefore be controlled independently or within a so-called scene with other devices/lights/fixtures.

Zigbee is an alternative to WiFi and Bluetooth. The Smart Home system is based on the IEEE standard 802.15.4. Various products from different manufacturers use the Zigbee protocol, including Huawei, Belkin, Nokia, Osram, Bosch, Ikea, Samsung, Velux, Panasonic, Miele and Philips. Note: Although Philips HUE products are controlled via Zigbee, they cannot be paired with smart home products from other manufacturers. Zigbee control is done via AI devices such as Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomeKit (the bridge is then usually already integrated). If you want to use your smartphone or tablet to control Zigbee-compatible devices such as lights, blinds and the like, you will need the so-called Zigbee Bridge. 

Data transmission between the various Zigbee devices is encrypted and not via WiFi, as only the gateway is connected to WiFi. A 128-bit AES-CCM algorithm is used for encryption at the network level. Since encryption is also possible at the application level via mesh, the transmission is thus considered tap-proof. 

In addition to the large variety of manufacturers and products, Zigbee also scores with a strong signal range. ZigBee-controlled luminaires can be controlled from a greater distance. The more lamps (or lights) are added to the network, the higher the increase of the signal range. Zigbee uses so-called mesh networks. This means that the devices are not only connected to a base, but also to each other. In addition, Zigbee is an ultra-low-power technology. This means that devices can also be operated with little energy. Sensors, for example, can run for months or years on just one battery. In addition to sensors, Zigbee also offers switches and remote controls for control. 

Tip: With Zigbee sockets, you can also integrate normal lights into the Smart Home system and dim them, change their brightness and control them in groups.

So you can choose between different technologies and use exactly the one that is best for your application. Ledvance offers two apps to match - either for control via WiFi or Bluetooth. Of course, you can also control your smart lighting via voice assistant from Google, Amazon or Apple and thus switch the lighting on and off and dim it. With the Ledvance Smart+ products, you also have 16 million different colours to choose from. 

By the way: with the Ledvance Smart Plug, you can turn any normal light into a smart light and integrate it into your light management system. 

If you choose Philips Hue products, you are limited in terms of your smart home system, because: Philips Hue products can only be combined with those, smart lights from other manufacturers cannot be controlled at the same time. Nevertheless, the use of Philips Hue is a good choice. The Smart Home System offers fixtures, bulbs and accessories for indoor and outdoor use. The products can be controlled with the Philips Hue app and are compatible with Apple HomeKit, Echo from Amazon and Google Home as well as Spotify. This allows your lighting to respond to the music and provide matching light to the genre. To use the Philips Hue smart lighting control, you need the Philips Hue Bridge. This acts as a connection between the lights and the app. With this, by the way, you can control up to 50 lights at the same time or combine them in groups. Alternatively, you can also control the Smart Home products from Philips with Bluetooth. With this variant, up to 10 lights can be connected in one room. 

We do not currently carry Smart Home products from Philips - but here you will find great Smart Lighting alternatives from other well-known brands such as Ledvance, Calex and Noxion:

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Sarah - Latest Update: July 2023