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Integrated Commercial Lighting Solutions: “Will It Work With What I’ve Got?”

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Feb 21, 2013 5:30:00 AM

lighting-solutions, commercial-lighting, integrated-lightingWe’ve all seen the T-shirts: “Doesn’t Play Well With Others.” It’s kind of funny if someone wears one to work on casual Friday. It’s no laughing matter, however, when it describes different products that need to work together to create an integrated lighting or energy control system in a commercial setting.

In order to deliver the kind of solution your commercial customers want, all the parts of the system need to play well together. Your clients may be impressed with what the system you’re suggesting promises, but one of the biggest questions you’ll face is, “Will it work with what I’ve already got?”

That’s one of the reasons we recommend Lutron products for so many commercial installations. Lutron is committed to providing best-in-class products and solutions that offer superior performance—along with world-class service and support. Whether it’s the seamless integration of Lutron light and shade control products, or integration with third-party products and systems, Lutron solutions allow you to offer your clients the reliability and convenient control required for today’s demanding applications.

While you can offer a Lutron lighting control solution for almost every need—from a single dimmer to a whole building system—integration options are available for practically every application as well. Whether your client is looking for a touch screen and A/V equipment in a conference room, patient controls in a hospital or even building management systems, Lutron provides reliable options for many integration needs.

And Lutron works with many third-party manufacturers to ensure that their systems integrate reliably with other products. They also provide documentation, product and technical support to many manufacturers to ensure that the system you specify or install will work with a wide variety of third-party systems.

So when your client asks if the system you’re proposing will work with what he already has, you’ll be able to assure him that it will. Contact me if you have questions about integrating a new Lutron system with an existing system or products on an installation. I’ll be happy to help you find a solution that plays well with others.

 

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Topics: lighting solutions, commercial lighting, integrated lighting

Integrate Solutions For Luxury Homeowners: The Perfect Balance Of Unique Style And Functionality

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Feb 5, 2013 5:30:00 AM

lighting-solutions, integrated-lighting-systems, shade-operationsDesigning and installing light control systems for upscale homes requires something that delivers sophistication, functionality and convenience at the highest level. Owners of luxury homes won’t settle for “adequate.” They want outstanding.

HomeWorks® from Lutron has been the leader in light control for luxury homeowners for more than a decade because it provides convenient, intelligent and sophisticated control of a home's lighting and shades, and can also be integrated with security and audiovisual systems. In addition to outstanding functionality, HomeWorks' stylish architectural- and designer-style controls also enhance a home’s décor with centralized dimming panels that provide control of multiple zones of light in a room—or throughout the entire home—from a single point using the seeTouch® Tabletop keypad. And this keypad even allows homeowners to check the status of lights or shades in other areas of their home.

Lutron’s Sivoia QED® (Quiet Electronic Drive) controls offer “touch-of-a-button” convenience for operating shades smoothly and in precise alignment. Sivoia QED can operate the entire Lutron line of automated window treatments, including roller shades, drapery track systems, Kirbé® Vertical drapery system, tensioned shades and Roman shades with CERUS® Safety Technology. All these shade options are custom-manufactured, operate with ultra-quiet, low-voltage drives, and are available with a variety of fabrics and control options—providing luxury homeowners with the functionality and unique styling they demand.

The Kirbé Vertical drapery system takes uniqueness in drapery styling to a whole new level. Whereas traditional draperies move side-to-side, the Kirbé Vertical drapery system smoothly pulls drapes up and completely out of the way of the window.

Owners of luxury homes demand high performance, convenience and unique styling. If you’re looking for high-end, integrated solutions for a luxury home, shoot me a note, and I’ll be happy to work with you to create a solution that will meet and exceed the requirements of even your most demanding client.

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Topics: lighting solutions, integrated lighting systems, shade operations

When it comes to Energy Control - Knowledge is Power!

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Aug 7, 2012 12:31:00 PM

lighting knowledge is powerYou may not consider yourself a genius, but if you specify, order, supply, or install light control systems there’s a good chance that somebody thinks you are! You may have customers or clients that know they’d benefit from a lighting control system—but they don’t know which one is right for them—or even all the benefits it could provide them.

That’s why they turn to you. You may not know everything there is to know, but you’ve probably forgotten more about lighting systems than they’ll ever learn. And that puts you in a position of power. But we’re not talking about using your knowledge to take advantage of people. We’re talking about the power to help clients solve their problems. And when you help people solve their problems, they tell their friends and colleagues about you and your business. You help them and they help you. That’s powerful!

Knowledge is Profitable, Too!

Maybe helping people should be its own reward, but it’s nice when what you know results in increased business for your company. That’s one good incentive for staying up to speed on new developments and new products. But we’d like to make knowledge even more profitable for you!

That’s why we offer our Product Knowledge Sweepstakes every quarter. Each quarter, enter for your chance to win great Lutron Lighting prizes! Simply answer the quiz questions in the form on our website and we'll let you know if you’ve won one of 4 prizes from Lutron worth $1000 each! (Please note that this sweepstakes is limited to Western Energy Control Solutions customers in Southern California.)

Here’s the simple truth: The more you know about the products available to your clients, the better you can advise them about which solutions will work best for them. And the more you know about the specific products in our Product Knowledge Sweepstakes, the better chance you have to win the quarterly prize!

So check out the sweepstakes, brush up on your knowledge, and make your power play!

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Topics: lighting solutions, Sweepstakes, Product Knowledge

Commercial Lighting Solutions: Making Everything Work Together

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Jul 17, 2012 6:07:00 AM

commercial-lighting-solutionsIf you’re involved in creating light and energy solutions for a commercial client, you know how hard it is to get all the different parts to “talk” to each other. Integration is essential if you want everything to work right. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy—until now.

You may already know that Lutron has a lighting control solution for every need, whether it’s a single dimmer or a whole building system. But they also have integration options for practically every application. Whether it’s a touch screen and A/V equipment in a conference room, patient controls in a hospital, or even building management systems, Lutron provides reliable options for many integration needs.

And what makes it really great is that Lutron works with many 3rd party manufacturers to ensure that their systems integrate reliably with other products. Lutron provides documentation, product, and technical support to many manufacturers to ensure that our systems work with a wide variety of 3rd party systems.

That’s a huge benefit! If you’ve worked on significant commercial projects before, you know that the people who design them don’t always think about how all the different components will work together. Lutron makes it much easier to have all the parts “play nicely” with one another.

If you’d like more information about how Lutron makes integration easier, shoot us a note. Matt Sedlock (matt@westernecs.com) or Jen Moore (jen@westernecs.com) will be happy to help you out!

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Topics: lutron, lighting solutions, Energy Solution, Creating Lighting

The Right Lighting Solution Can Extend Your Living Space

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Jun 12, 2012 7:26:00 AM

Summertime seems to lure us outside. As the weather warms up we increasingly find ways to linger a little longer outside. Whether it’s an outdoor party, grilling with friends, or simply enjoying some solitude on the terrace or patio, we enjoy being outside until the dark drives us back in.

The Right Lighting Solution

With the right lighting solution, you can actually extend your living space outside and make it as comfortable and inviting as the inside of your home. And you don’t have to let the darkness drive you back inside until you’re ready.

Click me Lutron Lighting Control

With a Lutron Radio RA 2 solution you can control your landscape, patio, or terrace lighting automatically, or manually—the choice is up to you. And a lighting control system allows you to do so much more than simply turn lights on or off. You can set your lights for grilling on a warm summer evening or adjust them for relaxing next to your fire pit on cooler nights.

You can also set lighting to highlight your landscaping or accent foundation plantings or water features, such as fountains. You can use the time clock to automatically dim your landscape lighting at night, and turn it off at sunrise.

Lighting Automation

An automated lighting system is also a great security feature—whether you’re at home or on summer vacation. And unlike old-fashioned controllers that had to be reset if they lost power, Radio RA 2 solutions retain their settings.  So whether you’re home, or on vacation, your lights will continue to come on when you want them to—keeping your home beautiful and secure.

Wireless Solution

Because the Radio RA 2 solution uses Lutron’s wireless technology, it’s an ideal solution whether you’re looking to build it into a new home construction or install it in an existing home.

 

More information about how a Lutron Radio RA 2 solution can extend the living space in your home—and put more fun in your summertime—is just a click away. Request more information here.  

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Topics: Commercial Lighting Solutions, lighting solutions, Residential Lighting Solutions

Southern California Lighting Solutions: See for Yourself!

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

May 29, 2012 3:08:00 PM

socal lighting solutionsSome people have the ability to envision how a lighting solution is going to work in their home or their office. But lighting is a bit of a subjective thing, and most of us need to see it for ourselves to be sure that it’s really going to deliver the results we’re looking for.

Lighting Solutions

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a homeowner, a design professional, a building owner, or an installer: You can read all the descriptions and specifications you want about dimmers, switches, shading systems, single room controls, and whole home or whole building solutions. Until you actually see it working you still don’t know if it’s the right solution for your home or business.

 

So how can you “test drive” a lighting solution before you make the commitment to install it? One way, of course, is to visit a residence or a business that has already installed a system like the one you’re considering. That way you get to see it in action and you can get a better feel for how it really performs. Sometimes, however, that’s just not practical. Often businesses and homeowners aren’t thrilled to have outsiders traipsing through their space.

 

A good alternative is to visit a showroom where you can look at the lighting solution, get a sense for how it performs, and actually play with it to make sure it does what you want to do. It’s one thing to read about dimming the lights by a certain percentage, but it’s a completely different experience to dim the lights to the exact level you want.

 

Western Energy Control Solutions is the exclusive Southern California representatives for Lutron Electronics, Inc. and in our showroom we make it easy for you to get the kind of hands-on experience with the lighting solutions you’re considering you want before you make a commitment. We think that’s the best way for you to find exactly the right light and energy control solution for your residential or commercial needs.

 

Request your hands-on demo here. And if you have questions before you come in for your demo, just shoot us a note. Contact Jen Moore (jen@westernecs.com) if you have questions about commercial systems. Or shoot a note to Kevin Berg (Kevin@westernecs.com) if you have questions about residential solutions. They’ll be  happy to help out!

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Topics: lighting solutions, Southern California

You Know Lighting. Use That Knowledge to Your Advantage!

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Apr 24, 2012 1:02:00 PM

If you’re in the lighting and energy control industry you think about lighting a lot. Whether you marketing tipsspecify lighting control systems, manufacture them, or distribute them—you know lighting. So how can you use that knowledge to your advantage?

Believe it or not, what you know about light, lighting systems, and which solution to use in which situation makes you a genius in some people’s eyes. There are builders, specifiers, designers, and building maintenance companies that need your expertise in order to make good decisions about which lighting control system is the right solution for their residential or commercial property.

How can you make sure these folks are coming to you for this information instead of your competitors? Start putting your knowledge and information out there for people to find. Where do people look for information about lighting control? The same place they look for any other kind of information—online. That’s why it’s so important that you make your website the resource of choice for your clients by providing them with easy-to-access product information, helpful technical data, online training, and straightforward answers to the questions they have.

One great way to get that information out to your clients is through regular blog posts. You can share helpful information, bring clients up to speed on the latest industry trends, and educate them about new product offerings—and new ways to use these products.

You can also use your website to distribute white papers and special reports that help establish you as an industry expert—and allow you to “touch” prospective clients multiple times. The fact is, you’ve got knowledge your clients want. And knowledge is power. You can take advantage of your website to use that power to your advantage.

If you’d like to know more about how to do this, shoot us an email. We’ll be happy to help! 

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Topics: energy control, lighting solutions, Marketing for Lighting Products

When It Comes to Everything Electrical—Do Your Customers Think You’re a Wizard?

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Apr 13, 2012 7:54:00 AM

electric solutionsSome people say that knowledge is power. That may be true, but at Western Energy Control Solutions we like to think it’s a bit more than that. The more knowledgeable you are about lighting solutions the better you can help your customers. And the more help you provide, the more they will turn to you for all their control solution needs.

Chances are your customers already think you’re kind of a wizard when it comes to helping them find the right lighting solutions. Don’t disappoint them! You need to stay a step ahead of your customers so that you can offer them the very best lighting solutions on the market. Making them successful is what will make you successful!

That’s why it’s so important to keep up to speed with training on the latest industry trends and solutions. And that’s what our Lighting Training Classes are all about. We’re committed to making sure that you have the answers and the skills you need to give them the highest level of support.

We’d love to have you participate in one of our live local training sessions that cover selling, specification, installation and programming. Check out our calendar to see when the next sessions are available.  If you can’t make it to a live session, you can take advantage of on-demand training through Lutron. You can find more details here.

The more knowledge you have, the better you can serve your customers. That will make you look like a wizard—and that’s business magic!

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Topics: Commercial Lighting Solutions, lighting solutions, Residential Lighting Solutions

5 Lighting Trends for 2012

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Mar 20, 2012 7:04:00 AM

lighting trends for 20125 Lighting Trends for 2012

Advances in lighting technologies (especially LEDs) have opened up the door to all kinds of interior lighting possibilities. The fact that LEDs are energy efficient and save money only adds to their appeal. One of the coolest things about LEDs is how widely they can be used—from very casual to very ornate applications. Here are a few of the trends we’re seeing lately.


  1. Contemporary lighting fixtures in neutral colors and pastels are being used to add soft, stylish accents to interiors.
  2. Nature inspired themes and ethnic motifs coupled with contemporary lighting fixtures, that incorporate Asian and African patterns and forms are stylish and interesting.
  3. Chic, elegant, contemporary lighting fixtures with shades made from silk, exotic leather, wool, or eco-friendly (recycled) felt are increasingly popular.
  4. Modern crystal abstract patterns complimented by silver and gold details add stylish accents are being used to create a personal, comfortable and cozy feel.
  5. Baroque style wall lights and table lamps have been updated to bring bright and lightweight designs into today’s homes.

 

As you can see, there’s not a single, unified trend or direction in today’s lighting options—other than making your home your own unique expression of your personality.

 

The unifying factor is homeowners’ desire to control their lighting conveniently, safely, and economically. Regardless of the specific lighting style that homeowners may choose, they want to be able to control their home lighting with the touch of a button. And they want more control than the ability to simply turn lights off and on as they pass by. They want dimming capabilities for individual rooms and hallways. And in many cases they want the ability to turn lights off and on remotely—even from the comfort of their bedroom.

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Whether your residential customers are looking for single room solutions, whole home solutions or shading solutions, Lutron has what they need—and we can help you find it and put it together for them.

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Topics: lighting solutions, LED, Residential Lighting Control, Lighting Trends, Smart Home Lighting Control

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.

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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.

 

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

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

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