Lighting control is the technology that decides how, when and how brightly your lights come on. Rather than one switch doing one job, a control system lets you dim circuits, group them, recall preset scenes at the touch of a button and schedule the whole lot around your day. It can also bring blinds, curtains, heating, audio and security into the same system, so a single press changes the entire feel of a room.
Since the move away from halogen and towards LED, control has become far more important than it used to be. LEDs behave differently. They need the right driver, the right dimming method and the right wiring to perform properly, which is why control is now something to plan at the start of a project rather than bolt on at the end.
Our technical team at Lightmaster specify and program control systems for homes, offices, hotels and retail spaces across the UK. Here is what the technology actually does, and how to work out what you need.
Key points
- Lighting control lets you dim, group, schedule and automate circuits rather than simply switching them on and off.
- Scene setting is the feature clients use most. One press takes a room from bright and functional to soft and relaxed.
- Dimming performance depends on matching the driver to the dimming method. This is where most problems start.
- Wired systems suit new builds and full rewires, wireless systems suit retrofit projects.
- Plan control early. It affects cable routes, back box depth and driver selection, so it is far cheaper to design in than to add later.
How lighting control works
A traditional circuit is simple. Power runs to a switch, the switch sends it to the fitting, and the fitting is either on or off.
A control system puts an intelligent layer in between. Dimmer modules or drivers sit in a central panel or in the ceiling void, and the switches on the wall become small keypads that send instructions rather than mains power. That separation is what makes everything else possible. Because the system knows which circuit is which, it can set several of them to different levels at once and store that combination as a scene.
Systems fall into two broad camps. Wired systems run a dedicated data cable between the panel and the keypads, which gives the most reliable performance and suits new builds and full renovations. Wireless systems send instructions over radio or Bluetooth mesh, which makes them a good fit for retrofit work where lifting floors is not an option. Plenty of projects end up using a mix of both.
The main elements of lighting control
Switching
The most basic function, but worth saying out loud. Control lets you switch circuits in groups rather than one at a time. An all off button by the front door or at the top of the stairs is often the feature clients use most.
Dimming
Dimming is the most technical part of any lighting scheme and the part most likely to cause problems if it is rushed. The dimming method has to match the driver, and the driver has to match the fitting. Get that pairing wrong and you see flicker, buzzing, poor performance at low levels or lamps that drop out entirely before they reach zero.
Common methods include trailing edge, leading edge, DALI, DSI and 0 to 10V. Our team works through this with your installer, and every Lightmaster project that includes control comes with a detailed wiring diagram so nothing is left to guesswork on site.
Scene setting
Scene setting is where control earns its keep. Imagine a living space with four floor washers on one circuit, a central pendant on another and twelve downlights split across three more. On a single keypad you might have a bright welcome scene that brings everything up, a low scene that uses just the pendant and the floor washers for the evening, a task scene for reading, and an all off button. Add dim up and dim down and you have a room that adapts in one press instead of five.
The same idea scales. In a hotel or restaurant, scenes can shift automatically through breakfast, lunch and evening service so the space always looks right without staff touching anything.
Controlling natural light
Daylight is part of the scheme too. At its simplest this means opening and closing blinds or curtains, but motorised window coverings can be brought into the control system and driven by the same keypad. Lutron systems can even track the position of the sun and adjust blinds through the day to keep glare off screens and stop furniture and artwork fading.
Daylight sensors take this further in commercial settings, dimming artificial light automatically when there is enough natural light coming in.
Sensors and presence detection
Presence and absence detection turn lights on when someone enters and off again when the space is empty. In offices, corridors, plant rooms and toilets this is one of the quickest ways to cut wasted energy, and it is often required to meet building regulations. In homes it works beautifully in wardrobes, larders and along landings at night.
Switches and keypads
Plain white rocker switches are no longer the only option. All the systems we work with offer keypads in a wide range of finishes, engraved with the scene names so guests are not left guessing. We also use PLH, who make highly decorative switches in materials such as leather, marble and even crystal, for projects where the switch plate needs to be part of the design.
Automation
Once a system is in place, automation is a short step. Lights can run on timers, follow astronomical clocks that track sunrise and sunset through the year, or simulate occupancy while you are away. Heating, audio and security can all sit on the same system, and most platforms integrate with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home along with control from a phone or tablet.
The systems we use
At Lightmaster we work predominantly with three platforms.
Philips Dynalite is our preferred choice. It is intuitive, robust, scales comfortably from a single room to a whole building, and the Antumbra keypads are among the nicest on the market.
Rako offers strong wireless and wired options and is a practical, well priced choice for residential projects, particularly where retrofitting is a factor.
Lutron is excellent for integrated blind and curtain control and has a deep range of products for larger residential schemes.
There is no single best system. The right answer depends on the size of the project, whether the building is being rewired, how much integration you want and the budget. Our technical team will arrange a meeting to discuss the level of control you need before recommending a platform.
Why bother with lighting control?
Better light. The main benefit is not technical at all. Rooms simply look and feel better when the lighting can shift between bright and functional, soft and relaxed, and everything in between.
Lower running costs. Dimming reduces energy use, sensors stop lights running in empty rooms, and scheduling stops whole floors burning through the night. In commercial buildings the savings are usually the easiest part of the business case.
Longer lamp life. Running LEDs at reduced output and keeping them off when they are not needed extends their working life.
Fewer switch plates. One tidy keypad in place of a bank of five or six is a real gain in a hallway or open plan space.
Compliance. Commercial projects in the UK often need controls to satisfy Part L of the building regulations, and control is a standard requirement for BREEAM and similar schemes.
Security and convenience. Automated schedules make an empty house look occupied, and an all off button means you never leave the house with the loft light on again.
When to plan lighting control
The honest answer is as early as possible. Control affects the cable routes, the position of the panel, the depth of the back boxes and the choice of drivers, so it is far easier and cheaper to plan it alongside the lighting design than to work backwards once first fix is complete. If your project is already underway, wireless systems give you a route in, but the earlier the conversation happens the better the result.
Frequently asked questions
Is lighting control only for large houses? No. A single room with a few circuits benefits just as much as a whole house, and small wireless systems make it affordable to start with one space and expand later.
Can I add lighting control to an existing house? Yes. Wireless systems are designed for exactly this and can often be installed without disturbing walls or ceilings.
Does lighting control need an internet connection? The lighting itself does not. The system runs locally and keeps working if the broadband drops. You only need a connection for remote access from an app or for voice control.
Will it work with my existing fittings? Sometimes, but it depends entirely on the drivers inside them. Our team can check compatibility before anything is ordered.
Talk to our team
If you are planning a project and want to understand what control would add, our technical team is happy to talk it through, from a single dimmed circuit to a fully integrated building.
Get in touch or explore more in Lightmaster Learning.
