What are the uses of IoT lighting in commercial facilities

As people say, need is the mother of invention. Historically, since the era of kerosene lamps, the way we produce and provide light has continued to improve-each iteration addresses the challenges posed by the former approach. The incandescent light bulb invented by Edison in 1880 was a huge leap, more economical, more convenient and safer than the widely used gas lamp. Today, we continue to look for ways to further reduce lighting costs and use energy more wisely.

Internet of Things lighting is the latest game changer. As an industry, its market value is expected to grow to $ 4.5 billion by 2026, and it is also known as the "disruptive power of the lighting industry." So what exactly is IoT lighting? How can commercial buildings benefit?

Intelligent lighting based on the Internet of Things

As business owners and facility managers become more aware of the efficient use of energy, they are more likely to implement some type of lighting control system. Many such systems now exist, and sometimes as part of a building management system, the ability to create a fixed schedule for lights (turned off when nobody is there) helps save energy and reduce costs.

The Internet of Things lighting system goes one step further. Imagine the lights turned on automatically a few minutes before the meeting; or get information on how long customers stood in the aisles of the retail store and what products they were looking at. These things can be achieved through the Internet of Things lighting.

The intelligent lighting of the Internet of Things uses wireless switches, and there is no need to embed the lighting switches into the luminaire. Then, these bulbs are connected to a network, allowing them to be monitored from the cloud. Through a web or mobile app, you can manage individual lights or groups of lights based on occupancy, outdoor light levels, and time of day; you can also control dimming and discoloration. Smart luminaires like this can also transmit information about damage and burnout of lighting equipment in real time.

Because light bulbs are ubiquitous in buildings, these networked light bulbs are also a great way to collect additional data about the building. Sensors can be embedded in fixtures to collect and transmit information about the facility, including room occupancy, air quality, and temperature. The more information you have about how buildings are used, the better you will be able to manage them more effectively.

Some potential uses of IoT lighting in commercial facilities:

Lighting-based indoor positioning system: At the end of 2017, Target used Bluetooth chips embedded in LED ceiling lights to achieve indoor positioning. Customers can access an interactive store map from their mobile phones, which guides customers through the aisles to find what they want.

Asset tracking: For critical assets marked with sensors, IoT lighting can locate them based on their signals.

Monitoring the status of perishable goods: Goods that require specific environmental conditions (such as temperature and humidity) can benefit from intelligent lighting solutions that can continuously monitor storage rooms or areas. Alarms can be set to monitor abnormalities and prevent deterioration.

Space utilization: IoT lighting can collect occupancy data and then analyze it to optimize building usage. Analysis of this data can help you better manage your space and respond to under- or over-utilization.