Cooperative Living October 2021 - 21

CuttingEdge | by Maria Kanevsky, Contributing Columnist
Smart lighting is one of the
easiest and most affordable
technologies to integrate
into your home.
Smart lightbulbs are available
in a variety of colors and
dimming options.
Bright Time for Smart Lights?
The pros and cons of app-enabled options
O
f the smart home technologies available on the
market, smart lighting is one of the easiest to integrate
into your home. You can control smart lighting
by voice command, through your smartphone or through a
smart home hub, like Amazon Alexa. Smart lights are also
among the most affordable smart home devices, starting at
about $10 per bulb.
REMOTE COMMANDS
One of the most useful aspects of smart lighting is the
ability to control the lighting while you're away from home.
If you leave for work and forget to turn off the lights, you
can easily do so with a few taps on a smartphone app.
Alternatively, if you're traveling, but want to appear as though
you're home, you can turn on your lights at a certain time
to create that illusion.
Many smart lights offer the option for a customizable
schedule. Consumers can schedule lighting to turn on or off
at certain times of the day, depending on their preferences.
For instance, you can turn off all the lights at home just
before bedtime, or schedule the lights to turn on just before
returning home from work.
To increase safety at home, many smart lightbulbs have
motion-detection technology that can sense if a person is
in or near a room. This feature can be programmed to send
an alert to your phone when the smart lighting detects
an unexpected motion, either inside or outside the home.
Beyond the practical applications, smart lighting can
be fun to use. Bulbs are available in a variety of colors and
dimming options that can help to set different themes or
moods. Various color temperatures can potentially help
with winding down at night and improving sleep quality.
co-opliving.com
Blue light, which mimics daylight, prevents the release of
melatonin, an important hormone to feel sleepy. Setting
smart lights to warmer-colored lights at night can help release
melatonin, and therefore lead to a better night's sleep.
HIGHER COSTS
Smart lighting carries a higher price tag than regular
lightbulbs. Most smart lighting options on the market use
LED lightbulbs, which are more expensive but use less energy
than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs cost about $1; however, their life spans
are only about 1,000 hours. LED bulbs typically start at about
$2.50 per bulb, but their life spans are almost 25 times longer.
Switching from incandescent bulbs to LED smart bulbs can
help save energy and money over the long run.
Some smart lightbulbs may have minor technical issues,
such as improperly responding to a voice command. However,
sticking with reputable brands should ensure a wellfunctioning
lightbulb.
Also, some smart lighting options are incompatible with
dimmers, since smart bulbs come with built-in dimming
mechanisms. This could lead to inconsistent lighting between
smart and regular bulbs. To prevent this, simply avoid placing
smart lightbulbs in fixtures that already have a dimmer switch.
Before making any purchases, be sure to research which
smart lighting options work best for your home. There are
plenty of options out there and choosing the best personalized
option will help you make the most of it. 
For more, visit energystar.gov and searchfor " smart lighting. "
Maria Kanevsky writes on consumer and cooperative affairs
for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
October 2021 | Cooperative Living | 19
PHOTO COURTESY PHILIPS
PHOTO COURTESY CREE
http://www.energystar.gov http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living October 2021

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