Lighting in Design Q3 2018

- A higher level of investment as there is a price pre- mium for connected lighting. - Resources to analyse and evaluate the data gener- ated by the connected lighting, and translate the data into information. - As the connected lighting system is linked to the internet, an information system, the system should be secured against hackers. - The resources to install and maintain the connected lighting system. Again, the conditions listed above point to larger scale projects with sufficient budget and resources to convert data into information, implement the required level of security and realise both the initial installation and the maintenance. Looking specifically at the situation in South Africa (or Africa as a whole for that matter), available resources for installing and maintaining a connected lighting sys- tem can be a serious constraint. The number of com- panies and experts able to properly install and maintain a lighting controls installation is, unfortunately, rather limited. As connected lighting has additional challenges related to information technology, including security, only a few companies will be able to assist in connected lighting projects. What about ‘unconnected’ lighting? Unconnected lighting is able to provide many of the benefits of connected lighting, without the need for analysing data and providing a high level of security, while both installation and maintenance are less com- plicated. Based on this, for the time being, unconnected lighting will remain an excellent proposition for smaller and medium-sized projects. Unconnected lighting using so called ‘luminaire based controls’ especially are highly suitable for markets with limited specialised resources for installing sophisticated lighting systems, as the com- ponents like sensors or wireless devices are inside the luminaire.This means that an installer on site can install the luminaire like any regular luminaire as the luminaire producer has already taken care of specialised wiring or (part of) the programming. Conclusion Connected lighting, or the IoT, is an exciting proposition for the lighting industry and will grow in importance with the evolvement of the IoT. Based on the benefits at this point and the conditions for a successful implementa- tion, it seems more geared for larger scale projects. Unconnected lighting (lighting not connected to the internet) offers tangible benefits while installation and maintenance are less demanding and hence, for the short and medium term, remains an interesting option for medium and smaller sized projects. www.tridonic.com

Examples of unconnected lighting

Luminaire based controls, where controls are built into the luminaire by the luminaire producer, offer the advantage that installation is simple as it requires no additional wiring and most if not all of the programming is done by the luminaire producer. Luminaire based movement sensors are popular in South- Africa and these are easily integrated into a luminaire. Most sensors use Passive Infrared technology to detect motion. Sensors using ‘High Frequency’ or ‘Micro Wave’ technology are making inroads, as they can ‘see’ through plastic and are able to detect motion when built into a closed luminaire such as a vapour proof luminaire or a batten with a plastic cover. Adding modules able to communicate us- ing Bluetooth is another example of luminaire based controls. Again, there is no need for additional wiring. Control profiles are saved during the luminaire production stage. Users can choose whether to control the lighting via an app, phone, tablet or user interface. Luminaires can be switched on and off, or be dimmed. Lighting scenes can be created as well and, in cases where Tunable White lumi- naires are used, the colour temperature can be changed to suit the user while, in direct/ indirect luminaires, the direct and indirect light content can simply be adjusted.

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LiD Q3 - 2018