How Facility Managers Can Cut Energy Costs Without Sacrificing Performance
Discover how facility managers can cut energy costs effectively to enhance operational efficiency and save resources.
Almost everyone has said it at least once in their lives or had someone say it to them. Turn off the lights is heard at home and work. It’s surprising something so simple is also so easy to forget.
Smart buildings are starting to take care of this problem. Now LED solid-state lighting (SSL) can be connected to intelligent electronic systems. Artificial intelligence (AI) knows when you leave the room and takes care of turning off the lights for you.
AI and machine learning (ML) are being applied to almost every field making your life a little easier and helping you save energy.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its annual energy outlook for 2021 shows combined commercial and residential sectors use around 219 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2020. That is a lot of electricity for lighting.
With intelligent buildings becoming more common, it is time to look at how combining AI and LED will advance lighting controls.
Lighting Controls in Smart Buildings
Smart lighting controls in LED systems come with communication and controls built in. You have greater flexibility and automation. You are not limited by the traditional fixed-wire connection. Your control over the lighting increases at three levels,
- Overall (macro level)
- Edge (local level)
- Particular (device level)
Using a smart lighting system allows you to control the fixtures from any connected device. You can use your computer, tablet, smartphone, and other devices to program and turn the lights on and off.
The smart lighting controls also make it easy to adjust the light’s color temperature and the amount of power to a specific light fixture or connected lighting system.
While ready this blog you may have additional questions on the different types of lighting controls. You are in luck! We have an entire series of blogs that walk you through Lighting Control Systems. You can read the whole series here.
AI Learns Faster Than You Do
Artificial intelligence learns as it goes. It is constantly learning and updating to improve your lighting system’s performance. It relies on feedback from the light’s performance. How it learns and adapts is referred to as machine learning.
Machine learning handles large amounts of data. Too much for a single person or even team to analyze. It’s when your AI comes in. It analyzes all of the information and makes an informed decision based on what it has learned. Think of AI as a detective looking for clues in mountains of compiled data.
An AI system can learn by one of the following three methods.
- Supervised learning – the best correct answers are compared before implementing.
- Unsupervised learning – The AI system does not have preset parameters for the best response.
- Reinforced learning – Positive or negative feedback is given to the AI system based on its responses.
Since AI learns quickly, it won’t take long for the system to improve performance based on positive and negative feedback.
Intelligent Buildings are Everywhere
Smart buildings aren’t a thing of the future, they are already here. The automotive, banking, medical, and retail industries are using smart lighting controls. The pace the various industries are implementing AI differs, but it is something most businesses are thinking about.
Organizations familiar with AI and ML will adapt faster than businesses farming their smart lighting controls out. These organizations understand the limits of AI in lighting controls and have a head start on how to implement the technology for the best results. They also have a better understanding of how to see the greatest return on their investment, starting with reducing human interaction with the lighting system.
We understand that this is a lot to take in and that you will have questions. Our lighting specialists are available to answer all of your lighting control questions. You can schedule a call that fits your needs by clicking the button below.
Why Reduce Human Interaction with Lighting Controls
Smart lighting controls increase efficiency. Employees are no longer responsible for turning the lights on and off. They also won’t have to spend time away from their tasks adjusting the color temperature or the LED lamp’s brightness.
Energy consumption and waste is reduced, resulting in lower energy bills. Smart lighting controls can even adjust the lighting system’s brightness according to the sun’s position. Customer and employee experiences are improved in the building when you combine AI and LED lighting.
Smart Lighting Controls with Action Services Group
Combining AI and LED lighting is helping businesses move in a sustainable direction. Energy usage and waste are decreased, and organizations see a reduction in utility bills. Customer satisfaction is increased with proper lighting, along with employee productivity. With AI, you no longer have to remember to turn the lights out when you leave a room. If you want to learn more about the benefits of smart lighting controls, contact Action Services Group by calling 610-558-9773 or email [email protected].
