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Quality Outdoor Lighting Keeps Unwelcome Visitors Away

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Nov 26, 2013 4:30:00 AM

outdoor lighting for residential homes increases safetyGood lighting looks good. But there’s a lot more to it than simple aesthetics. Quality lighting is about function as well. And if you’re involved in designing or installing lighting solutions in the Southern California area, you can help your clients with solutions that look good and perform well.

Nowhere is that more important than in security lighting. Providing additional security to residential areas is an important function. But there’s more to it than simply slapping up a few extra floodlights on the exterior of a home.

pathway lighting keeps residences saferAs a matter of fact, some of the studies (like the 2010 study from the Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting) conducted on increased lighting indicate that simply adding more light can actually increase crime—if the lighting isn’t done properly!

Improper exterior lighting can actually create areas of dark shadow that provide great hiding places for burglars and other unwanted visitors. On top of that, harsh floodlights are an annoyance to neighbors and just aren’t aesthetically appealing.

That’s why an overall solution is necessary—something that takes the whole lighting picture into consideration. That’s something many homeowners simply don’t think about. But as a lighting professional, you can help your clients “see the light” when it comes to exterior illumination. You have the knowledge—and access to the products and technologies that will make their homes look good and stay secure.

And when it comes to making sure you have access to the products, technologies and solutions your clients want (and need), we’ve got your back! We’re picky about the product lines we carry because we know that you—and your customers—want quality that delivers great aesthetics and great functionality. It’s why we’re proud to carry solutions from Lutron, Cree, FX Luminaire, Integrated LED Controls, Liberty Wire and Cable and Universal Remote Control.

Contact us and we’ll work together to put together a solution that will keep unwelcome visitors away from your clients’ homes—and look good doing it!

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, exterior lighting, lighting security

Time Is Money In the SOCAL Lighting Industry

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Oct 28, 2013 8:00:00 AM

Time Is Money in the SOCAL lighting industryWe’ve said it many times before: There’s a lot more to providing outstanding lighting solutions for the Southern California market than simply delivering top quality products. Make no mistake about it: If you don’t have the best quality products, you simply won’t survive long. But products alone don’t make a solution stand out.

Something else you’ve heard a time or two is that “time is money.” That’s certainly the case in the lighting and energy control solution industry. Whether you specify, design or install solutions in Southern California, you know how crucial meeting a deadline is. Sometimes it’s the difference between getting the job or not. And if you miss your deadline—it can cost you big time.

That’s a big part of what we try to bring to the table when you look to us for solutions. And it’s one of the big reasons we’re pleased to partner with Juno Lighting Group. Not only do they offer outstanding products, but they also offer delivery you can depend on.

How reliable are the folks at Juno? Their on-time delivery percentage for this year is at 97.9 percent! That’s a pretty remarkable figure for an industry where there are so many “moving parts.”  And it’s not just about impressive numbers. As distributors for Juno Lighting, we received a letter from their President and CEO, John Mabbot that reflects their attitude toward service. In it, he detailed their goals for delivery—something they refer to as “standard lead time.”  Here’s what was really remarkable in the letter.

I’m spelling this out because I think it’s important that you are able to explain it to your customers – and also because I want you to hold us accountable if your experience is anything different.

It’s pretty rare that you see that kind of accountability in this industry. But that’s the kind of attitude and commitment it takes to build trust. It’s one of the reasons we’re pleased to offer Juno Lighting products to our customers.

In this business time is money. Sometimes being able to deliver on time makes the difference between getting the job or not. Sometimes completing a job on time means the difference between being profitable and losing money. That’s why we like to work with suppliers that deliver quality on time, so that we can offer the same thing to our customers.

If you have specific questions about solutions you’re working on, shoot me a note today and we’ll work together to meet and exceed your customers’ expectations!

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, commercial lighting system solutions, on-time delivery

Southern California Lighting Solutions: “What’s Your Solution Going To Do For ME?”

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Oct 16, 2013 10:25:00 AM

Southern California lighting solutions what's your solution going to do for meIf you design, specify, or install lighting solution systems in Southern California, you know that your clients can sometimes be a little skeptical. Let’s face it, someone is always trying to sell them what they claim is the latest and greatest thing since sliced bread.

Sure, there have been a lot of advances and new developments in lighting solutions over the past few years—and some of them are pretty impressive. But there’s a good chance that the new features of the latest products won’t impress your clients. To be honest, many of them don’t care about all the bells and whistles. A lot of them aren’t even asking, “What’s new?” They’re asking a completely different question.

“What’s your solution going to do for me?”

That’s really what your customers want to know, isn’t it? How are the lighting products and services you provide going to help them tackle the issues they face today? And while great photos of the products you sell may grab their attention momentarily, what they’re really interested in are the nitty gritty facts about how the solution works.

That’s when it’s helpful to not just tell clients and prospects about your solutions, but to show them the results. And one of the best ways to do that is through actual case studies that outline a specific problem and then show the concrete results of the solution.

That’s why we feature case studies from a variety of industries on our website. And while your clients’ results will no doubt vary (after all, no two scenarios are ever exactly alike), they’ll at least be able to look at real-life examples of what you can do for them. You can check these case studies out for yourself, whether you’re looking for efficient gymnasium lighting for schools, patient room window shades for a hospital, adaptive corridor lighting for a business or energy-efficient lighting solutions for office spaces.

And then the next time a client or prospect asks, “What’s your solution going to do for me?” you’ll have a specific answer.

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, lighting case studies, meeting customer needs

Improve Your Lighting IQ (And Sell More!)

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Oct 10, 2013 4:30:00 AM

Improve your lighting IQ and sell moreFor most of us, our school days are a thing of the distant past. Still, when September rolls around, it’s awfully hard to ignore the “back-to-school” fervor we see around us—especially if we have kids. But kids aren’t the only ones who need to continue their education.

If you’re an architect, a designer or someone who specifies or installs lighting control systems in Southern California, you need to keep learning as well. Our industry is constantly evolving. There are new products launched into the market all the time. And of course there are new regulations to cope with as well.

The people who buy the products and services you offer can’t keep up with what’s new. That’s why they look to professionals like you to help them. And the more you know about what they need, the better you’ll be able to help them meet those needs. That translates into more business for you. And when your clients talk to their colleagues who have similar needs, they’re more likely to send those friends your way if you were able to make their lives a little easier.

But how can you make sure you’re up to speed on the latest in lighting control developments? You’ve got a business to run and customers to attend to. When are you supposed to educate yourself?

At Western Energy Control Solutions, we're passionate about education.  That’s why we offer regular, live, local training sessions for lighting professionals in Southern California. You can check our online calendar for classes near you in September. If you can’t make it to one of our live sessions, you can still check out Lutron’s Lighting Control Institute online courses.

Back to school isn’t just for kids anymore! If you want to be able to solve clients’ lighting control problems with the latest and best solutions—and win their business—you need to make sure you’ve got the latest information. We’d love to help you help your customers!

 

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, Lighting Control education, Continuing Education for Architects

When Great Gets Even Better: Why Lutron’s RadioRA 2 Upgrade Matters

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Sep 6, 2013 3:30:00 AM

When great gets even better why Lutron's RadioRA2 upgrade mattersWhether you specify, design, or install residential lighting control solutions, it’s always nice when you can offer your clients cutting edge products and solutions. If you’ve been around this industry for a while, however, you know that your clients’ expectations continue to grow. That’s why it’s nice when a great solution—like Lutron’s RadioRA2—gets even better.

That’s why the RadioRA “Classic” to RadioRA 2 Upgrade Program from Lutron matters. Even though Lutron’s RadioRA lighting system has been that gold standard for residential lighting and energy control for years, this new upgrade ups the ante—giving homeowners even more control and energy-savings right at their fingertips—even if their fingertips are resting on an iPhone or iPad!

Of course there’s more to the story than just convenience. By upgrading, clients can also take advantage of even more energy savings through the new HVAC controls, insulating honeycomb shades, plug-in controls, and more. New improvements to the system include:

  • A built-in astronomical time clock that allows homeowners to “set and forget” timed lights
  • Improved wireless range
  • RA2 is programmed with a laptop and iPad
  • Grafik Eye compatibility (This is Lutron's popular single room lighting control solution)
  • The ability to add Lutron Sivoia shading systems without requiring additional, costly hardware
  • Enabling of communication with occupancy sensors (a big plus for meeting California’s Title 24 requirements) and saving energy
  • Lower pricing on hardware

It’s always nice when a great solution gets even betterFor more information please email us at raupgrade@lutron.com .

 

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, radioRA2, RAdioRA

We’re Known By the Company We Keep

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Aug 29, 2013 4:30:00 AM

We're known by the company we keepRemember when you were a kid and your parents were very particular about who you would hang out with? They knew that the company you kept was important. It helped shape your character and it influenced how other people saw you.

That’s why at Western Energy Control Solutions we’re really picky about the company we keep. We know that it’s important to offer a broad range of products and solutions to meet your diverse needs. But we don’t offer solutions from just anyone. We limit our professional relationships to those companies that offer the best quality products and service. And that’s why you can count on Western Energy Control Solutions to be your one-stop-shop for commercial and residential light and energy control solutions.

We are the exclusive representative in Southern California for Cree—a market-leading innovator of lighting products, LED solid-state lighting, LED components and their revolutionary family of lighting products, with both indoor and outdoor lighting solutions.

We offer Universal Remote products in Southern California. Universal Remote is the pioneer in control technology and provides state-of-the-art remote controls and complete home control and automation systems for residential and commercial clients.

We also represent Juno Lighting Group products in Southern California. Juno Lighting Group is committed to providing superior solutions for all your lighting challenges with a steady stream of products that lead the industry in quality performance and innovation.

We are also proud to represent Lutron in Southern California—a company that has invented hundreds of lighting control devices and systems and has advanced the technology of lighting control while focusing on exceptional quality and design. Lutron continues to lead the market in high-quality lighting controls for fluorescent, halogen incandescent, magnetic low-voltage, electronic low-voltage and LED light sources.

Your parents were right: You’re known by the company you keep. And we’re proud of the company we keep. They enable us to offer the best light and energy solutions in Southern California!

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, lighting and energy control systems

Lighting And Energy Controls For Tomorrow’s Homeowners: What Millennials Want

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Aug 22, 2013 4:30:00 AM

Lighting0and energy controls for tomorrow%27s homeowners what Millenials wantIf you design, specify or install lighting and energy controls for residential properties in Southern California, you know that things are always changing. That doesn’t mean you have to follow every trend and fad that comes along, but you do want to be aware of what homeowners are looking for.

Right now there is an emerging group of homebuyers that represents the largest demographic group since the baby boomers. And 84 percent of these “millennials” plan to purchase a home. Many of them are pretty particular about the features they want to have built into their homes—including the ability to control things from one central place.

If you want to know more about what this influential group of homeowners is looking for, you may want to check out a recent builderone.com post that highlights their wishes (you can read the post here).  Some of the features they’re after include such things as iPod docking stations, home automation systems to control lights, heating and cooling, appliances and more.

Even if you’re designing systems for homeowners who aren’t millennials themselves, you may want to remind them that if and when they finally move out of the home they’re building (or remodeling) that there’s a good chance that they could be selling it to someone who is.

That’s where multi-room control systems such as HomeWorks QS and RadioRA2 from Lutron stand out. They enable homeowners to customize areas of their home to meet specific lighting needs. Or for even more control, homeowners can combine light control with audio, video, security and HVAC.

Want to know more about HomeWorks QS? You can download the 4-page PDF of the Lutron HomeWorks QS Training Options on the 4 HomeWorks QS training courses available and their times.

  • View the available training courses, locations and dates for 2013
  • Register online for the HWQS courses
  • Find out which course is right for you!
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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, lighting and energy control systems, one-touch control

No Matter What Your Lighting Challenge Is—We Have a Solution

Posted by Matt Sedlock

Jul 3, 2013 9:15:00 AM

No matter what your lighting challenge is we have a solutionIf you’re involved in designing, specifying or installing lighting and lighting control systems in Southern California, you know that “one size doesn’t fit all.” Every project has its unique requirements, specifications and challenges. But that doesn’t mean you should have to chase all over the state—or even all over the country—to find the solutions you need.

We take pride in being the one place our clients can count on to meet a wide variety of needs. That’s one reason we’re proud to offer the broad line of products from Juno Lighting Group.  With Juno product brands, we’re able to offer lighting solutions that are attractive, well engineered and easy to install. And no matter what your lighting challenge is, we’re confident that we’ll have a solution that meets your needs.

Here’s just a partial overview of the breadth of industries and applications we can help you cover with the Juno line of products:

Government Contracts: Whether you’re providing services for a government office, a distribution center, barracks or commissaries, you’ll be ready to meet the complicated requirements that government contracts present. Whether the job calls for downlight, track, linear or pendant fixtures, we’ve got you covered. If you need task, wall wash, accent, high bay, low bay or sign lighting—we’ve got the solutions that will meet government requirements.

Institutional Lighting: We can help you create lighting solutions for your institutional clients that create ideal working, learning or living conditions. Whether your clients need solutions for patient rooms, dorm rooms, boardrooms, classrooms, auditoriums or nursing stations, you’ll be able to offer high-performance lighting solutions that keep energy and maintenance costs under control—something your institutional clients will really appreciate.

Retail Solutions: If anybody needs bright ideas for lighting, it’s your retail clients. You can help them make a great first impression—and make their stores comfortable places where customers want to do business. With the Juno line you’ll be able to offer the industry’s most extensive line of fixtures developed with specialty retailers in mind. Whether it’s downlight, track, linear, or pendant fixtures they need, or wall wash, display, accent, cabinet, task or signage—you’ll have what they need.

Hospitality Lighting: Your customers in the hospitality industry need lighting solutions with style and flair to create dramatic spaces—and this is an area where Juno fixtures really shine. Whether your client needs to light a reception area, a restaurant or a hotel room, Juno luminaries are great at showcasing architectural details, distinctive materials, artwork or unique decors.

These are just a handful of the industries you’ll be able to service with the Juno solutions we offer.  If you have specific questions about solutions for specific industries, shoot me a note today and we’ll work together to meet and exceed your customers’ expectations!

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Topics: Southern California lighting systems, government lighting, hospitality lighting, institutional lighting, retail lighting

Outstanding Lighting Solutions: Why Choose CREE?

Posted by Jimm Reifsnyder

Jul 3, 2013 4:30:00 AM

why choose creeThose of us in the lighting industry in Southern California make choices every day. When you design, specify, or install lighting systems for your clients, you make choices about which products will best suit their needs. At Western Energy Control Solutions, we make those same kinds of choices. So why did we jump at the chance to represent CREE® in the SOCAL market?

We actually had a number of reasons for choosing CREE, but we’d like to share three big ones—because we think they represent things your clients will value and appreciate.

Efficiency. Cree LED Lighting products deliver the same amount of light as conventional technologies—but use as little as 10 to 15 percent of the energy.  That can save your clients hundreds of dollars over the life of each light.

Longevity. A typical 65-watt incandescent light lasts for 2,000 hours.  A Cree LR6TM LED downlight has a lifetime of 50,000 hours (running a Cree lamp for six hours a day, it would last nearly 23 years!). That means your clients would have to replace their conventional bulbs 25why choose cree for commercial lightingtimes to match the longevity of the Cree LED. That’s a lot of replacing—not to mention the extra $465 in energy usage (at today’s rates).

Beauty. Energy efficiency and longevity are great, but you know that your clients want lighting that looks great as well. You probably have clients that love the energy savings that CFL lighting offers—but they hate the way they look. Now energy efficiency doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice ambience. Cree lights have a higher color rendering—giving everything they illuminate a more vibrant and lifelike look. Your clients can choose warm lighting, for a traditional, luxurious feeling (great for residential solutions) or cool lighting to create an effective work environment (it’s also great for homes that want a more contemporary look).

Why choose CREE? Your clients will love the way they look, the way they last, and the way they save energy and money.

Drop me a note today and I’ll be happy to help you find the Cree solution that’s right for your clients.

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Topics: LED lighting, Energy Efficiency, Southern California lighting systems, efficiency, longevity

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.

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