ABSTRACT
Luminaires are becoming more sophisticated, and so are lighting controls. With LEDs we can now do things with light we never could do before. But lighting controls can be difficult for people to understand, operate, program, and adjust. This chapter provides an overview of the different types of controls systems that are available and what they can do, so that designers, architects, and contractors can speak more knowledgeably to their clients. Lighting controls used to provide only two basic functions: switching on and off and dimming. Now with LEDs, we have added the ability to change color temperature; to program more complex lighting “scenes”; and to connect to smart home systems. The important thing is that lighting control systems serve the principles of good lighting design – understanding and balancing layers of light to light people and environments optimally – not the other way around.
