Residential, Commercial & Industrial
What are Lighting Controls?
Twenty years ago lighting control systems were a rare and expensive commodity used mostly in high-end commercial and residential applications. Hotel conference rooms, corporate boardrooms, and home theaters are where it all began. As the market for large format video projection systems grew, and the need to dim the lights to view the screen became necessary, lighting manufacturers recognized the opportunity to develop self-contained systems for these applications. Whether it was a training video at work or your favorite action film at home there was a basic need to dim the lights down during projection and return them to normal levels when finished. This requirement led to the creation of programmable “preset scene” lighting control and dimming systems.
Kitchens, Living Rooms & More
Lighting Systems.
Since then the application of lighting control systems has grown substantially. Building lobbies, churches, restaurants, video conference rooms, and hotel ballrooms were all being built with lighting controls as an integral part of their design. At home, the application grew beyond the home theater to include areas such as kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and exterior lighting. However, systems were still only found in high-end facilities or considered toys only for those who could afford them. Systems were also complicated and required a level of technical knowledge beyond the average installer or operator.
Home Lighting Controls
Today home lighting controls can be found almost everywhere. Not only has the cost of these systems made them more affordable to the common user, but the new electrical code for commercial spaces requires some sort of lighting control system as part of their design. Automatic time clocks, occupancy sensors, daylight compensation sensors, and dimming controls are now a common part of almost every commercial construction project. Saving energy, safety and security, home automation, and remote control via electronic devices is increasing the demand for residential applications. However, lighting controls are still complex in their design and installation and still require knowledgeable technicians capable of servicing these systems.
Whether your system is 20 years old, or you are considering the purchase or installation of a new one, PGELS can assist with the design, installation, maintenance, and repair of your system. Our staff has been intimately involved with almost all of today’s and yesterday’s major lighting control manufacturers and is thoroughly experienced with the installation of lighting control systems in the commercial, residential, and industrial markets throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
