How Automated Lighting Can Transform Your Property

As winter approaches and the days get darker, it’s vital to look at how lighting impacts buildings. Implementing automated lighting in office spaces, multi-use facilities, and commercial properties can transform them, indoors and outdoors. Let’s take a look at how.

Automated lighting comes in a variety of forms, each designed to enhance productivity, improve safety, and increase energy efficiency. These technologies work together to create adaptable lighting solutions for you and your customers or tenants. Here a few examples from Leviton.

Motion sensors enhance energy efficiency by automatically turning lights on when movement is detected, and turning them off when spaces are unoccupied. This is especially useful for office spaces, restrooms, and hallways in multi-use buildings. 

Benefits of Motion Sensors

Motion sensors improve convenience and safety by eliminating the need to manually switch lights on or off in shared spaces. They lower energy consumption and reduce wear on light bulbs, prolonging their lifespan and lowering maintenance costs.

With smart lighting controls, you can automate lighting schedules and adjust brightness based on natural light levels throughout the day. Products like Lutron's Caséta smart lighting allow you to manage lighting through your smartphone, tablet, or voice assistant. Features like scheduling, dimming, and remote access, allow you to customize lighting based on your needs. 

You can also integrate smart systems with building management software to track energy usage. If you have a multi-family building you’d like to upgrade, consider doing a smart retrofit to bring your existing infrastructure up to speed.

Benefits of Smart Lighting Controls

Smart controls automate lighting schedules and optimize brightness, reducing your electricity costs. You can seamlessly control multiple lighting fixtures from a single device, and improve security by managing lighting remotely when you’re off site. You can also track your building’s energy usage, providing valuable data for energy management.

Smart controls also support productivity in office spaces by reducing eye strain and improving focus. Read more about how to design the best office lighting for productivity.

These handy devices automatically detect when a space is occupied and control the lighting accordingly. Installed on walls or integrated into smart lighting systems, occupancy sensors turn lights on when motion or presence is detected and off when the space is unoccupied, enhancing energy efficiency.

Benefits of Occupancy Sensors

Occupancy sensors help reduce energy consumption by ensuring lights are only used when needed, extending the lifespan of bulbs—such as sustainable LEDs—and lowering electricity costs. Additionally, they enhance convenience and safety, making them ideal for homes, offices, and public spaces.

Don’t forget outdoor spaces! Automated lights improve safety and security by keeping pathways and parking areas well lit—which is especially important during darker winter months. Use motion sensors in parking lots, staircases, or anywhere else that needs extra light and added security. 

Keep all emergency exits and pathways illuminated for safety and compliance, as well. Discover the four essential steps we recommend to prepare your outdoor and landscape lighting and our top winter lighting recommendations for more inspiration!

If you’re seeking to have your property LEED-certified, automated lighting is the way to go. Did you know that LEED-certified buildings use 25% less energy and have 19% lower maintenance costs compared to conventional buildings? Learn more about optimizing your electrical systems for LEED certification.

Investing in an automated lighting system will keep your property well lit, safe, and cost-effective during the darker days ahead. Need help preparing? Contact our team of lighting experts to learn how automated lighting prepares your property for winter. We can support you with lighting layouts and design, too!