Smart ceiling lights: atmospheric lighting and practical features for everyday life

A great tip for anyone who eventually wants to have a smart home: why not use a ceiling light as the springboard? Box off the smart general lighting and test all the functions in peace before you add more smart lights to the mix. From a wide variety of lighting scenarios to a practical timer function, a smart home lighting concept leaves nothing to be desired. Read on for more inspiration.

Which smart home systems include ceiling lights?

All smart home systems work with different standards. You can easily find out what these are by using the filter in the shop. Simply click on “Smart home systems” to see what is available. You will find:

• Amazon Echo
• Bluetooth
• Casambi
• Google Home
• Philips Hue
• WiZ
• WiFi
• ZigBee

How do you install smart home systems?

To start with, installation is exactly like a normal ceiling light - simply pay attention to the installation instructions that come with every light and follow these step-by-step. If you are not completely sure, it is best to call in a qualified electrician for the installation.

Once the electrical installation is complete, you just need to set up the smart features of the ceiling light. For this, you generally need a tablet or smartphone and the appropriate app. Some systems (e.g. Philips Hue) require the one-off purchase of a bridge. Once this has been integrated into the WiFi network, it is very easy to add other lights to the system.

Tip: You can also get smart home solutions that do not need a bridge. Here, the products are integrated via Bluetooth, for example.

Depending on the system, other steps may be necessary to integrate your ceiling light into the smart home system. However, this is generally very easy. You should have no issue with this if you use the instruction manual, and if questions do arise, you can call our specialist consultants at any time. You can find the contact details below.

This table summarises the functions that each smart home system has and the standards that they require:

What functions and controls do smart ceiling lights offer?

Now we come to the key question: what can a smart ceiling light do once it has been installed? Well, it varies from product to product. Depending on the model, the following list describes some of the possible functions:

• Dimming – for a cosy ambience
• Multicoloured – choose from millions of colours
• Change the colour temperature – from warm white to daylight white
• Effects – from a targeted flickering to a variety of moods
• Groupings – to control several lights at once
• Presence simulation – so that your house does not look unoccupied when you are on holiday
• Timer function – for everyday routines and when you are away
• Control when you are on the move – for access to your smart home wherever you are
• Can be controlled by a remote control or app – or by a light switch if you want
• Voice control – if you don’t have any hands free

Is my existing ceiling light compatible with a smart home?

Do you want to finally get in on the act with a smart home? You should! The benefits are huge, and it is also fun. Converting is very easy: you just need to replace the light bulb in your old ceiling light. For example, replace a standard E27 light bulb with a smart E27 bulb. Depending on the system, only a few steps – as described above – are then necessary to get started with your smart home system.

What are the advantages of smart lighting control?

Are you wondering whether this is all just frippery or whether it brings real added value? Well, we think that the added value cannot be ignored. In a smart home, comfort and the almost infinite options for the LEDs are perfectly applied to the living space:

• You can adapt the lighting to suit your mood and how you feel on the day
• You can flexibly adjust the lighting system without complex cabling
• You can make your house more secure by using the presence simulation when you are on holiday.
• You have access when you are on the move – via your smartphone, wherever you are
• You can group together light sources throughout your house and put them on a timer

Do all smart ceiling lights use LED technology?

One thing is clear: without LED, we would not be able to talk about a smart home, as all the fantastic options can only be realised with this technology. Aside from the fact that LEDs have paved the way for the smart home, they also provide many other advantages:

• 90 % energy savings in comparison with a traditional light bulb
• 90 % energy savings in comparison with a halogen bulb
• Economical and environmentally friendly
• Almost maintenance-free technology
• 50 times longer service life than a traditional light bulb
• Service life of up to 50,000 hours
• No mercury content
• Very durable light bulbs
• 100 % light output immediately
• Possibility of very compact designs

Would you like to delve deeper into this topic? Then simply contact our specialist consultants by calling +353 1 699 2138 or via the contact form.