Selection Guide:
Smart Home Lighting Systems

Smart switches give you more control over your light fittings. They offer a hassle-free smart lighting solution without major changes to your lighting arrangement. Smart switches replace your existing switches but can still exist alongside your current light bulbs. Best of all, they tend to be a lot less expensive – music to any homeowner’s ears. Of course – they can be wirelessly connected and work with pretty much any light fixture.

If you want control of all your light fittings at once – look no further than the Scenario Player for TaHoma. All you need to do is program this wall switch with the TaHoma app via your smart device. Once you’ve done this, you can create multiple scenarios whether that’s switching all the lights off when you’re snoozing or opening the shutters for a morning wake-up call.
For those who aren’t entirely sold on the idea of an automated home, if you fancy testing the waters first with an economical and easy approach – smart light switches are the way forward.

Smart light switches have many advantages like the following:

• Enhanced security – control when your lights turn on/off even if you’ve popped to the shops or gone away on holiday.
• Intuitive controls – operate flawlessly with your existing home Wi-Fi network.
• Save money – you could decrease your utility bills to some extent by programming your lights.

A single smart light bulb can be connected to an existing socket and then paired with your home's Wi-Fi system at the most basic level. Then go ahead and control your smart light bulbs from wherever you are with your smartphone! Smart light bulbs can come with more advanced features too, for instance adjustable brightness, programmable scheduling and mood-based lighting schemes.

The benefits don’t just stop there either, here are some:

• Reduced energy use – smart lights use CFL or LED bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs which can cut the volume of electricity required to illuminate a room.
• Longer life span – on average an incandescent lightbulb has a lifespan of 750 to 2,000 hours whereas LED smart lights can operate incessantly for 35,000 to 50,000 hours.
• Easy personalisation – smart bulbs can be tailored to your schedule whether that’s them switching on when you come home from work or turning off when it’s time for bed.
• Fun settings – many can be set to change colour or adjust a room’s mood with settings ranging from bright and efficient to calming and romantic.

Motion sensor lights introduce a sense of safety and security to any home. With the additional convenience of a sensor-activated lighting system, you’ll never have to fret about watching your step in the dark again.
PIR sensors are used in motion sensor lighting to detect movement as an alert to switch on lights. For instance, they’ll turn on if a person approaches them. So don’t worry – if you get any trespassers, not only will your lights inform you, but it may even send them packing.

Here are some more additional benefits:

• Touch-free system – making them elderly, child and disability-friendly. For those who require extra assistance navigating the property, motion sensor lights will ensure they’re always safe and able to see.
• Conserve energy – by shutting off automatically when they no longer detect movement, it means they use less power. Therefore, motion sensor lights could help you save on your electricity bill.
• Access friendly – use them to light up dark hallways, garages, porches and gardens to ensure these areas are always safely accessible.
• Convenient – take LED security lights for instance, particularly those with various modes, they just need to be installed and turned on. After that, they’ll never need continued upkeep – saving your time and effort all whilst keep your home safe and sound.

Hub-controlled smart lights are typically bigger in scope and can operate as a whole-house smart lighting system. The advantage of a separate, multi-purpose hub is so that you can control everything in a single app – home automation made convenient. Remember though – you need to be careful when going for this type of smart lighting system, to ensure it’s compatible with the smart home hub that you use. If your home is full of smart gadgets – this is the system for you.

Welcome the Indoor Lighting Receiver RTS – you can operate all your electrical RTS products for example LED lighting if you pair it with your TaHoma hub. Simple, easy living just got better!

To sum up – smart home lighting systems are an essential building block when it comes to home automation. Users can enjoy a variety of features such as remotely controlling them, setting schedules, conserving energy and much more. Smart lighting is a worthwhile investment which guarantees comfortable living from wherever you are. Go further with Somfy and explore all our lighting solutions to find the perfect one for you and your needs.