customerservice@westernecs.com   |   (858) 564-0233

New Clean Energy Bill Presents Big Opportunity for Lighting Control Industry in California

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Oct 28, 2015 11:20:22 AM

ING_18980_00525-1

On October 7th, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (SB 350). This new bill provides ample opportunity for those in the lighting control arena as it has committed the state of California to use renewable energy for half its electricity and make existing buildings twice as energy efficient in just 15 years.

SB 350 will allow Californians to continue to save money through rebates and subsidies as they purchase electric vehicles, replace inefficient light bulbs and appliances, and install solar panels or double-paned windows. Perhaps the biggest change those in the lighting control industry will notice will come with the new update to Title 24 in 2016. Title 24, which dictates the minimum standards of new and retrofitted buildings, is updated every 3 years to reflect the capability of new green technologies.

The Clean Energy and Pollution Act has presented a huge opportunity for the lighting control industry. Making buildings twice as energy-efficient means investing in light control. Not only does light control increase comfort and productivity, it saves energy. Here are just a some of the many options that can provide energy-saving benefits for commercial applications:

 

Xeleum-Stairwell-Isolacted-Side1_NewXeleum Athena Series LED Stairwell Fixtures: 

The Athena Series LED Stairwell is specifically designed for use in stairwells where the space is often unoccupied for long periods of time. It reduces energy usage by up to 80% by automatically providing fully ON light levels only when the space is occupied and returns to power saving dim levels with the space is unoccupied. These fixtures function equally well in hallways, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or any area that is frequently unoccupied.

 

Lutron Whole Building Centralized Control Solutions:

Lutron whole building solutions like Quantum and GRAFIK 7000 allow facility managers to conveniently manage both electric light and daylight right from their desktop. Control, configure, monitor, and report on the lighting for any space in your building for maximum energy efficiency, comfort, and productivity.

 

DaylightSensorShades_WhatsNew

Daylight Autonomy from Lutron:

Shading solutions coupled with window sensors regulate daylight to optimize comfort and lower energy costs by harvesting daylight and reducing the load on HVAC systems. Window sensors automatically adjust shades in a space throughout the day based on the sun's position to prevent glare and enhance views.

 

Screen_Shot_2015-10-14_at_2.53.19_PM

Cree ZR Series:

The Cree ZR Series LED troffer delivers superios quality in an ultra-slim, sleek package at an affordable price. The ZR Series troffer can reduce energy consumption by more than half, and with standard 0-10V dimming or Cree SmartCast controls, can accelerate its already rapid two-year payback. 

 

These are just a few of the product solutions we can recommend. Most of the lines on our line cards have products that are compliant with new standards. For help with your project call us at 858-564-0233. 

Title-24-Compliant-logoBLACKWestern Lighting & Energy Controls is your best resource for information on new legislation and Title 24 requirements, and all the associated product solutions. We offer live local training to educate industry professionals about the benefits of lighting control so they have the necessary tools to determine the ideal solution for any customer and any space. Download the Title 24-2013 Commercial Application Guide for a summary of code requirements for lighting controls and receptacles, or watch our video of a training session on the newest Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. 

If you'd like to see what other training classes Western offers, check out our Training Schedule, or let us know if you'd like us to alert you to Training Schedule updates for Title 24 in 2016.

 

Read More

Topics: Lighting Control, Energy Efficiency, energy savings, saving energy

How Much Control Do Your Clients Want In Their Southern CA Homes?

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Dec 10, 2013 4:00:00 AM

How much control do your clients want in their Southern CA homeIt used to be that if your clients wanted to control the lighting levels in their homes, they’d have to adjust the dimmer switches in each room individually. Now you can give them the ability to control all their lights from anywhere in the house they choose.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Lutron solutions allow homeowners to control a lot more than just lights throughout their Southern California homes, from wherever they are in their home—or even remotely through their iPhone or iPad.

Here’s just some of the features and capabilities you can offer:

  • Create just the right light for any occasion in any room with a Maestro© dimmer. These dimmers work with incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent or LED bulbs.
  • Stylishly (and wirelessly) control daylight throughout the home with Lutron Shade controls. Choose from Venetian blinds, Roman shades, draperies, Kirbé® vertical drapery systems, roller shades or tensioned shades.
  • Control the temperature in your home automatically. You can install up to four wireless temperature sensors in different rooms of a home where the owners want to measure the temperature. The sensors average the temperature and communicate to the HVAC system to adjust heating or cooling.
  • Tie the home security system in to other systems. With security system integration, one button press will arm the home security system, and will also roll back temperature, turn lights off and lower shades.
  • Control everything (lights, shades, appliances, temperature) from anywhere with a keypad in the home or with an Apple or Android device.

You’ve got lots of options to offer! So which one is right for your clients? That depends on how much control they want in their Southern California home. And to help you figure out which solutions meet your clients’ specific needs, Lutron has even created a helpful control assessment tool that you can download for free here.

If you have additional questions about whole home lighting and energy control solutions for your customers, please shoot me a note at jimm@westernecs.com!

Read More

Topics: Lighting Control, Southern California residential lighting, residential home control integration

10 Reasons Your Customers Will Want Light Control

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Nov 22, 2012 4:30:00 AM

homeworks qs driveway optionsFor a lot of consumers, light control isn’t the first thing on their mind when they are considering building or remodeling. There’s a good chance they’re looking to you for suggestions and solutions. And while they may be looking to spend as little as possible on light control, you can help them out by helping them understand that the money they spend up front on light control actually saves them more money in the long run.

Here are 10 often-overlooked light management facts you can share with your customers that will help them save money—even if they spend a little more with you!

Top 10 Reasons

1. Light Control Increases Comfort and Improves Productivity: Energy-saving light controls provide a comfortable and productive visual environment. And enhancing the comfort level can increase productivity. For example, Lutron’s Total Light Management™ solution provides better lighting that reduces energy consumption and can improve work quality.

                       

2. Dimmers Save Energy: Every Lutron dimmer automatically saves 4-9 percent in electricity—even at the highest lighting levels—compared to a standard on-off switch. And when your customers choose to dim their lights, they’ll save even more. The more they dim, the more they save. Conventional light switches only save electricity in the “off” position. Lutron dimmers and controls save energy 24/7.

 

3. All Light Sources Use Less Energy When Dimmed: Most consumers think of incandescent lights when they think of dimming. But all lighting sources (halogen, CFLs, and, LED bulbs) can be dimmed. A halogen light source that’s dimmed 35% reduces energy use by 28% while dimming an incandescent or halogen light will reduce energy use by about 20%!

 

4. Dimming Saves Energy and the Environment Without Sacrificing Comfort: It used to be that most energy-reducing solutions meant sacrificing something. The dimmers and other lighting controls you can offer customers allow them to adjust light levels for specific entertainment options, enhance ambiance, set a mood, and take advantage of daylight to reduce energy use.

 

5. Lutron Solutions Contribute to 37 out of 110 Possible Points in the LEED® 2009 NC Rating System: Because of their energy saving benefits and contributions toward minimizing environmental impact, Lutron lighting and shading controls can contribute significantly to achieving LEED building certification for new construction in categories such as: Sustainable Sites, Energy & Atmosphere, Material & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovative Design.

 

6. Using Dimmers Saves Money: Customers who use a Lutron dimmer in their home can save about $8.00 yearly over using a conventional switch. And if they dim the light by 50% (taking into account the extended life of the bulbs) they can save up to $30 a year.

 

7. Shading Solutions are Energy Efficient: Shading systems save energy by harvesting daylight and reducing the load on HVAC systems. Lutron uses sustainable materials that are either PVC-free or 100% recycled—resulting in some fabrics being certified by third-party organizations such as GREENGUARD® and Oeko-Tex®.

 

8. The Multiplied Impact: Lutron estimates that if every U.S. homeowner replaced just two conventional light switches with dimmers, the potential annual savings could be $1.5 billion in electricity and close to 25 billion pounds of CO2—the equivalent to taking more than 1 million cars off the road.

 

9. Lutron Systems Save Money and Energy Automatically: Automated systems like daylight and occupancy sensors and the HomeWorks® astronomic time clock can turn on customer’s lights according to changes in light or by the time of day.

 

10. Dimmers Extend Bulb Life: Dimmers reduce power to the lighting source or bulb—saving energy and extending bulb life. Incandescent and halogen bulbs last up to 20 times longer when used with a dimmer. Not only will customers save on energy use, they’ll purchase fewer bulbs—saving them even more.

 

Read More

Topics: Lutron Dimmers, Lighting Control, Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving Lighting

How The Lutron RadioRA 2 System adds Safety and Saves Energy

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Jun 18, 2012 7:25:00 AM

Lutron RadioRA iPad app

The following guest blog was written by a Western Energy Control Solution Partner Josh Christian of DSI Entertainment in Southern California after installing the RadioRA2 system into his own home.

This is Part 2 of an article highlighting why I love my new Lutron RadioRA 2 system. If you haven't read the first article, click on the following link to learn it's Ease of Installation, the added Convenience, and it's Aesthetic Benefits: Why I Love My Lutron RadioRA 2 System. This post will highlight two other benefits, the Safety and Energy Savings the RadioRA 2 system is providing.

Safety

The motion sensors I mentioned in Part 1 automatically turn on our 'Pathway' lighting scene at night, and another motion sensor turns on one of the Master Bathroom lights On to only 7% brightness, just perfect for middle of the night "pit stops". After 5 minutes of inactivity, the motion sensor turn off the lights automatically. No bumping into things in the middle of the night.

An 'Away' button makes our house look occupied while we are out of town. For the 'Away' scene, I selected several lighting circuits throughout the home and have them turn On and Off within certain timeframes; and the trick to make the house really look occupied is that the RadioRA 2 system randomizes the On/Off times by up to 30 minutes. This is MUCH more effective than using basic wall timers that we used before.

If we hear a strange sound at night, one of the keypad buttons in our bedroom turns our exterior lights On, and turns Off any interior lights. If there is anyone outside, we can see the perp, but not vice-versa.

Next, I'm going to integrate it with our security system. When we do so, when the alarm is triggered, we can have certain lights turn on automatically, and even flash all of the exterior lights On and Off repeatedly to call attention to the house.

Energy Savings

Lutron energy savings HVACThe RadioRA system is built around dimmers, and by default I have most of my lights turn On to 90% brightness instead of 100%. The difference in brightness is hardly noticeable, but my light bulbs will last nearly twice as long and I'm saving energy at the same time. Most of my lighting 'scenes' have lights come On to even dimmer lighting levels, some at only 50% brightness, which not only adds to the mood ambiance, but saves energy.

The wireless thermostat offers all of the energy-savings of any modern digital thermostat (separate temp set points for Morning, Day, Evening, Night), plus the 'Away' button I use for when we're on vacation sets the HVAC system in standby mode...only coming on to heat or cool in extreme temperatures (Woodland Hills, California can get HOT!). Since the system is connected to our phones with the iOS and Android apps, we can turn on the HVAC before we get home from vacation.

The last post mentioned I installed motorized shades in the bedrooms. They have a rated 'R Value' for their insulation properties. The sheer shade has an R value of .7, the but the room-darkening 'blackout' shade has an R value of 4.3. This helps keep the bedrooms from getting overly warm when we're not using them. Every little bit of energy savings helps, and HVAC energy costs are amongst the highest in the typical home.

The end result:

Can you tell I like the RadioRA system yet?? I love it! It has made our home more convenient, safer, energy-efficient, and elegant at the same time. It is easy to retrofit in any existing home. If you live in Southern California and would like to have a RadioRA system designed for you, give us a call at 866-692-8489. We have offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Newport Beach.

For new construction and larger homes, you'll be better served by Lutron's HomeWorks system. View our upcoming training classes on Lutron products to help you better understand the ins and outs of each system. Our classes are 100% FREE, register today!

Read More

Topics: lutron, Lighting Control, lighting systems, Radio Ra 2

Why I Love My Lutron RadioRA2 System

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Jun 5, 2012 6:37:00 AM

The following guest blog was written by a Western Energy Control Solution Partner Josh Christian of DSI Entertainment in Southern California after installing the RadioRA2 system into his own home.

lutron radiora2A few months ago I installed Lutron's RadioRA 2 wireless lighting system in my own home, along with their wireless thermostat and Sivoia QS Wireless shades. This was a retrofit installation, and I'm happy to report that installation was easy and the end result is fantastic. If you experience the convenience, aesthetic, and safety benefits for yourself, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

In this blog post, I’ll explain how the RadioRA 2 system is Easy, Convenient, and added a new Aesthetic I wasn’t expecting. Part 2 of this post will highlight the Safety and Energy Savings benefits.

If you are contemplating a lighting control system, I hope these posts help you with my real-world experience. And, my home is very modest in size; you don’t need a 5,000 square foot home or larger to experience the benefits. My home is under 2K sf, and this is what I experienced:

Easy -  The justifiably famous RadioRA 2 lighting system was easy to retrofit. For the most part, you simply replace existing switches and dimmers with RadioRA 2 pieces. They make a few different models, including ones that can dim the ever more popular LED light bulbs.

Using Lutron's "hybrid keypad", which is a combination dimmer AND keypad, I have all of the convenience of a keypad WITHOUT having to cut open the walls. The RadioRA 2 system is wireless, so your walls don't need to be cut open to run wires between all of the various keypads, dimmers, switches, appliance modules, thermostats, and motorized shades. 

 

Lutron's Sivoia QS Wireless battery-powered shades and wireless thermostat were big announcements in 2011. These shades offer the same quiet motors as Lutron's hard-wired shades, and there is a large selection of standard and luxury shading fabrics to choose from. Notably, they are easy to install...again, no cutting walls open. For the Master Bedroom, I installed a sheer fabric shade for soft-filtered light during the day. Behind the sheer shades are motorized blackout shades. With operation twice a day, the D-Cell batteries can last up to 3 years.  When the Batteries do wear-out, They can be changed in no more than 15 seconds, without taking the shade down from the window.  The shade headrail simply pops forward, and you drop in the new D-Cell Batteries 

Convenience - My keypads have a mixture of both 'scene' and individual zone programming, depending on the location. For example, the 'Pathway' scene lights a table lamp, a track light, and my stairwell chandelier to 30% brightness to give a safe pathway between downstairs and upstairs.

 

Using Lutron's battery-powered motion sensors and the astronomic time clock built into the RadioRA 2's brain, I have the pathway scene triggered ‘on’ automatically after 9:30 PM if you enter the sensor's path, and it turns off at sunrise. The Lutron sensor meets California's strict Title 24 Energy Code.

Having 'Downstairs Off' and 'All Off' lighting scenes is convenient...one button can shut all of the lights off.

Every keypad has an up/down dimmer button, so as long as you're not using standard fluorescent lights, you can dim or brighten each scene or lighting load easily.

You'll notice a 'Tea Kettle' button on the wireless keypad picture...my wife is an avid tea drinker (she's English afterall), and now she can turn the tea kettle on from the bedroom thanks to the RadioRA 'appliance module' (which is basically a remote-controlled AC outlet). By the time she makes it downstairs, the water has boiled. Definitely convenient!

lutron radiora2 switch plate

Another convenience feature of the RadioRA 2 system is the ability to use wireless keypads (see picture). These give you a lot of control in a small and portable form factor, and are convenient to have at your night stand and on coffee tables.

A huge convenience is the Lutron Home Control+ app, available for iOS and Android devices. With it, I can control my home from my iPad, iPod Touch, and Android phone both inside and outside the home (remote control from anywhere with a data connection).  From this App you can control the lights, shades, and temperature.  You can also make your level edits and save the changes from this App.

Aesthetic Benefit - Preprogrammed lighting scenes, such as 'Relax', light the downstairs in a very moody ambiance that makes our Living Room have a whole different “feel”.

The thermostat model I chose allowed me to eliminate the previous thermostat from the wall entirely. The wired HVAC controller resides with my HVAC equipment, and the flush-mount seeTemp Wall Control fits inside a standard single gang electrical box. The seeTemp control matches the Decora-style dimmers, switches, and keypads of the rest of the RadioRA 2 pieces.

Safety - The aforementioned motion sensors automatically turn on our 'Pathway' scene at night, and another motion sensor turns on one of the Master Bathroom lights ‘on’ to only 7% brightness, just perfect for middle of the night "pit stops". After 5 minutes of inactivity, the motion sensors turn off the lights automatically. No bumping into things in the middle of the night.

An 'Away' button makes our house look occupied while we are away. For the ‘Away’ scene, I chose several lighting circuits throughout the home and have them turn on and off within certain timeframes, and the trick to make the house really look occupied is that the RadioRA 2 system randomizes the on/off times by up to 30 minutes. This is MUCH more effective than using basic wall timers that we used before.

If we hear a strange sound at night, one of the keypad buttons in our bedroom turns our exterior lights on, and turns off any interior lights. If there is anyone outside, we can see the perp, but not vice-versa.

Next, I'm going to integrate it with our security system. When we do so, when the alarm is triggered, we can have certain lights turn on automatically, and even flash all of the exterior lights on and off rapidly to call attention to the house.

Energy Savings –The RadioRA system is built around dimmers, and by default I have most of my lights turn on to 90% brightness instead of 100%. The difference in brightness is hardly noticeable, but my light bulbs will last nearly twice as long and I'm saving energy at the same time. Most of my lighting 'scenes' have lights come on to even dimmer levels, some at only 50% brightness, which not only adds to the moody ambiance, but saves energy.

The wireless thermostat offers all of the energy-savings of any modern digital thermostat (separate temp set points for Morning, Day, Evening, Night), plus the 'Away' button I use for when we're on vacation sets the HVAC system in standby mode...only coming on to heat or cool in extreme temperatures (Woodland Hills, California can get HOT!). Since the system is connected to our phones with the iOS and Android apps, we can turn on the HVAC before we get home from vacation.

Back to the shades…they have an R value for their insulation properties. The sheer shade has an R value of .7, the but the room-darkening ‘blackout’ shade has an R value of 4.3. This helps keep the bedrooms from getting overly warm when we’re not using them. Every little bit of energy savings helps, and HVAC 

The end result: Can you tell I like the RadioRA system yet?? I love it! It has made our home more convenient and elegant at the same time. It is easy to retrofit in any existing home. If you live in Southern California and would like to have a RadioRA system designed for you, give us a call at 866-692-8489. We have offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Newport Beach.

Thanks,

Josh Christian

m. 818-391-3061

josh@dsientertainment.com 

www.dsientertainment.com
Los Angeles | Newport Beach | Santa Barbara

653 N. Robertson Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90069

Read More

Topics: lutron, Lighting Control, lighting systems, Radiora 2

Six Reasons to Turn Your Customers and Clients on to LED Lighting

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Mar 13, 2012 6:13:00 AM

six reasons switch to led lightingSix Reasons to Turn Your Customers and Clients on to LED Lighting

You’re a lighting expert—at least that’s one way your customers and clients view you. Whether you distribute the light fixtures they use, specify them for a home or office, or install them; people expect you to steer them in the right direction. So why will customers and clients be happy when you turn them on to LEDs? Here are six reasons.

 

LED Lighting saves electricity—and money. More and more individuals (and companies) are concerned about energy use. And everybody loves it when they can save money. LED light bulbs are eight times more efficient than incandescent bulbs–and twice as efficient as compact florescent lights (CFLs). You can be an economic hero by saving your clients a lot of money.

LED lights are “kind” to sensitive materials. Because they don’t produce ultraviolet light, LED lights are safer for things like photos, artwork, and other sensitive materials. That means, unlike florescent or halogen lights, they won’t cause fading or aging.

LED lights don’t require warm up time. Florescent lights take time to get to full strength. CFL lights are much faster, but still have a bit of “lag” time before they reach full brightness. LED lights are at full brightness as soon as you turn them on.

Click me

LED bulbs don’t have to be replaced as often. One LED light bulb will last longer than 30 incandescent bulbs. And even though CFLs last longer than incandescent bulbs, a single LED bulb will last longer than 6 compact fluorescents. As a matter of fact, an LED bulb can be in operation for more than 30,000 hours. LEDs are less sensitive to some of the things that destroy conventional bulbs, such as shock, vibration, and the extreme temperature changes.  Unlike florescent bulbs, they aren’t affected by being turned on and off frequently.

LED lights contain no mercury. That’s a big deal when it comes to disposing of bulbs. Fluorescent lights contain mercury and have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.

LED lights are really cool! Really! Because they operate at much lower temperatures than halogen and incandescent bulbs, the risk of fire is dramatically reduced.

 

Read More

Topics: lighting solutions, LED, Lighting Control, Save Money with Energy, Energy Saving Lighting

Commercial Lighting Solutions That Save Money and Boost Productivity

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Dec 27, 2011 8:30:00 AM

commercial lighting systems lutronIt’s easy for commercial property owners and management companies to overlook the significant impact that quality lighting solutions can have on their business. If you have commercial clients, you can help them save energy and money—and help them boost their productivity.

The fact is that in most office buildings, lighting accounts for 39% of the annual electricity use—and even higher in specialized settings such as healthcare facilities (43%) and hotels (55%). As energy costs rise, creating an energy-efficient workplace is top priority to every business. But there are some simple solution.

Begin to Dim: Dimming office lights is a great start to saving energy. A single Lutron dimmer for example can save a business more than $85 annually, and our commercial dimmers are designed to last at least 10 years. Upgrading to dimmers not only improves the comfort of the workspace—it improves the owners’ return on investment as well.

Control Individual Rooms: Installing single-room systems in heavily trafficked spaces increases energy savings while enhancing a room's comfort levels. Additional installations like sensors can also be integrated with lighting to further curb operating costs. And even if employees forget to turn out the light, occupancy and vacancy sensors will automatically turn the lights out after periods of non-use.  

The Complete Package: Companies that are serious about energy savings may want to look at a total light management solution. A whole building solution means full energy efficiency. The New York Times cut $600,000 from its annual lighting costs after installing the Lutron Quantum® system. And after installing EcoSystem®, a commercial property in Houston saved $50,000 on its electric lighting bill, while enjoying a $16,000 reduction in air conditioning expenses. Reducing uncomfortable hotspots and glare also improves personnel's productivity.

Light control also decreases HVAC energy costs. Shading systems reduce the amount of solar heat gain that enters a space while reducing glare. Shades can also be controlled by Hyperion™ to automatically adjust shades based on the sun’s position throughout the day based on the season and building location and façade.

Commercial properties sometimes face big lighting challenges. The good new is that you have comprehensive solutions at your disposal that you can recommend.

Read More

Topics: Commercial Lighting Systems, Lighting Control

Why “Just Any Dimmer” Just Won’t Do: Challenges of Dimming CFLs and LEDs

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Nov 30, 2011 6:21:00 AM

challenges of dimming cfls and dimming ledsIf you’ve been around the lighting industry for a while you know that energy-saving Compact Florescent Lamps (CFLs) have been available for many years. You’ve also seen the relatively recent arrival of a broad range of screw-in Light Emitting Diode (LED) dimmable bulbs. And you may have had customers who’ve struggled using these bulbs (especially CFLs) with standard incandescent dimmers. It’s not uncommon to run into problems such as:   

Reduced range: Incandescent or halogen bulbs typically dim lower than CFL or LED bulbs. Dimmable CFLs generally dim down to 10% to 30% of measured light output. Dimmable LEDs on, the other hand, can be dimmed as low as 5% to 15% (The actual range is dictated by the bulb’s circuitry).

Drop out: As CFL or LED bulbs are dimmed they occasionally turn off before the slider reaches the bottom. This “drop out,” can make it very difficult to set the desired dimmer level without bulbs turning off.

 Lights not turning on: After dimming CFL or LED bulbs to a low light level bulbs sometimes will not turn on until the dimmer’s slider is moved up. Called “pop-on,” this is especially challenging for 3-way situations where lights can be operated from different locations besides the dimmer.

Unexpected Turn-off: Line voltage fluctuations can affect dimmable CFL and LED bulbs, causing incandescent bulbs to dim or flicker excessively (or even turn off) when a device such as air-conditioning or a hair dryer is used.

Lutron has developed a family of C·L dimmers for dimmable CFL and LED bulbs that address all these issues. These new dimmers incorporate HED Technology to improve the performance of dimmable CFLs and LEDs. Unlike conventional dimmers, these new dimmers:Click me

  • Keep lights on during dimming
  • Ensure that lights turn on at all levels
  • Reduce or eliminate excessive flicker
  • Maintain light performance even during line voltage fluctuations

If you have questions—or would like more information about the new Lutron dimmers, please give us a call at 1-855-588-7661or shoot us an email.

Click me

Read More

Topics: lighting solutions, LED, Lighting Control

10 Reasons Your California Customers Will Want Lighting Control

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Nov 22, 2011 6:08:00 AM

10 reasons your california customers will want lighting controlFor a lot of consumers, lighting control isn’t the first thing on their mind when they are considering building or remodeling. There’s a good chance they’re looking to you for suggestions and solutions. And while they may be looking to spend as little as possible on light control, you can help them out by helping them understand that the money they spend up front on light control actually saves them more money in the long run.

Here are 10 often-overlooked light management facts you can share with your customers that will help them save money—even if they spend a little more with you!

1. Light Control Increases Comfort and Improves Productivity: Energy-saving light controls provide a comfortable and productive visual environment. And enhancing the comfort level can increase productivity. For example, Lutron’s Total Light Management™ solution provides better lighting that reduces energy consumption and can improve work quality.             

2. Dimmers Save Energy: Every Lutron dimmer automatically saves 4-9 percent in electricity—even at the highest lighting levels—compared to a standard on-off switch. And when your customers choose to dim their lights, they’ll save even more. The more they dim, the more they save. Conventional light switches only save electricity in the “off” position. Lutron dimmers and controls save energy 24/7.

3. All Light Sources Use Less Energy When Dimmed: Most consumers think of incandescent lights when they think of dimming. But all lighting sources (halogen, CFLs, and, LED bulbs) can be dimmed. A halogen light source that’s dimmed 35% reduces energy use by 28% while dimming an incandescent or halogen light will reduce energy use by about 20%!

4. Dimming Saves Energy and the Environment Without Sacrificing Comfort: It used to be that most energy-reducing solutions meant sacrificing something. The dimmers and other lighting controls you can offer customers allow them to adjust light levels for specific entertainment options, enhance ambiance, set a mood, and take advantage of daylight to reduce energy use.

5. Lutron Solutions Contribute to 37 out of 110 Possible Points in the LEED® 2009 NC Rating System: Because of their energy saving benefits and contributions toward minimizing environmental impact, Lutron lighting and shading controls can contribute significantly to achieving LEED building certification for new construction in categories such as: Sustainable Sites, Energy & Atmosphere, Material & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovative Design.

6. Using Dimmers Saves Money: Customers who use a Lutron dimmer in their home can save about $8.00 yearly over using a conventional switch. And if they dim the light by 50% (taking into account the extended life of the bulbs) they can save up to $30 a year.

7. Shading Solutions are Energy Efficient: Shading systems save energy by harvesting daylight and reducing the load on HVAC systems. Lutron uses sustainable materials that are either PVC-free or 100% recycled—resulting in some fabrics being certified by third-party organizations such as GREENGUARD® and Oeko-Tex®.

8. The Multiplied Impact: Lutron estimates that if every U.S. homeowner replaced just two conventional light switches with dimmers, the potential annual savings could be $1.5 billion in electricity and close to 25 billion pounds of CO2—the equivalent to taking more than 1 million cars off the road.

9. Lutron Systems Save Money and Energy Automatically: Automated systems like daylight and occupancy sensors and the HomeWorks® astronomic time clock can turn on customer’s lights according to changes in light or by the time of day.

10. Dimmers Extend Bulb Life: Dimmers reduce power to the lighting source or bulb—saving energy and extending bulb life. Incandescent and halogen bulbs last up to 20 times longer when used with a dimmer. Not only will customers save on energy use, they’ll purchase fewer bulbs—saving them even more.

Click me

Read More

Topics: Lighting Control, Dimmer Switches, LEED

Meeting the Need for LEED

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Nov 16, 2011 2:26:00 PM

meeting the need for leedWhether you’re a distributor of lighting control products, a contractor installing those products, or the designer that specifies what kind of lighting system goes into a new building, you’ve probably run across the acronym LEED with increasing frequency. More and more end customers are requiring solutions that meet LEED requirements.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally-recognized green building certification system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Why does that matter to you?

In order to successfully meet the demands of your customers (whether your customer is the contractor installing the system, or the home/building owner) it’s increasingly important that you’re able to provide solutions that meet those standards.

The good news is that Lutron solutions contribute to LEED certification in the five key areas of sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, material and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. If you want to remain competitive—or even a step ahead of the competition—you’ll want to make sure the lighting solutions you offer meet LEED certification.

For more information about LEEDS certification—and how Lutron solutions can help you achieve it, you’ll want to download this free Energy & Power Management article: “Lead to LEED Certification.” It will give you a head start in meeting your need for LEED!

Click me

Read More

Topics: lighting solutions, Lighting Control, LEED

Southern California Lighting Blog

This blog provides the latest news and information about Western Lighting & Energy Controls, its product lines, and other information to the lighitng industry.

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all