Imagine that it’s after dark and you’re on your way to the cottage. When you are 10 kilometres away, the outdoor lights and hall light come on automatically.
Now imagine that you are settling in for a movie night with the family. With the push of a button some lights turn off, others dim, and the blinds roll down.
Smart lighting has come a long way. It’s simpler, more full-featured and affordable, and easier to integrate into both new builds and renovations than ever before. Whether you’re looking for convenience, energy savings, or just a more aesthetically pleasing way to control your home’s lighting, smart switches and controls offer a practical solution.
Smart lighting and electrical rough-in savings
One of the biggest advantages of smart lighting is that, when planned for during construction, it can reduce your overall electrical rough-in costs. Why? Less wiring. Traditional electrical setups require a lot of wiring, especially for things like three-way switches (which allow you to control the same light from multiple locations). With smart lighting, circuits are controlled remotely, whether through strategically placed wireless switches or a phone app.
Eliminating the need for extra wiring can significantly offset the cost of a smart lighting system—sometimes by half. That makes it a cost-effective way to add a modern, high-tech feature that will add value to your home, without blowing the budget.
Why choose smart lighting?
There are many reasons why homeowners are making the switch to smart lighting, and it goes beyond just turning lights on and off with a phone:
- Remote operation – Control your lights from anywhere via an app. If you’re heading up to the cottage at night, you can set it so your exterior lights turn on automatically when you’re within a certain distance.
- Less wall clutter – No need for banks of switches on every wall. Many setups allow for remote controls instead of hardwired switches, keeping your walls clean and uncluttered. You can choose to have a remote on your table that controls all lighting in the house, smart switches on the walls or wherever you wish to place them.
- Timers and schedules – Program your lights to turn on at sunset or off at bedtime. No more worrying about whether the porch light was left on.
- Dimming and scene control – Set up different “scenes” for entertaining, watching TV, or winding down for the night—all with the push of a button, multiple lighting circuits are set.
- Easy retrofitting – Today’s retrofit systems, like Lutron Caseta, replace standard light switches and work wirelessly. That means you can upgrade your home without opening up the drywall.
How smart lighting works around the house
Smart lighting isn’t just about high-tech convenience—it’s a practical solution to everyday problems. Here are some examples of how it makes life easier:
- Exterior lighting – Lights can be scheduled to turn on at dusk and off at dawn, or set to activate when you arrive home. Modern systems can take into account the changing sunset/sunrise times throughout the year.
- Basement and garage lights – Timers can turn off lights automatically after a set period, ensuring that no one forgets to turn them off.
- Detached garage or outbuilding – Instead of running dedicated lighting circuits to your outbuildings, wireless switching can be controlled from your home to give you convenient use of those lighting circuits.
- Home theatre setup – With the press of a button your lights dim, your blinds close, and you’re ready to watch a show.
Cost of smart lighting
Smart lighting is more affordable than you might expect. As a general rule, each smart switch or remote costs around $100 installed. For a home with 75 light circuits, a full smart lighting setup could cost $7,500—a reasonable investment considering the convenience, energy savings, and value it adds to your home. If smart lighting is part of a new build plan, the cost can be further reduced by eliminating unnecessary wiring.
The bottom line
Smart lighting offers homeowners a balance of functionality, aesthetics and cost savings. Whether you’re building new, renovating, or just looking for a way to simplify your home’s lighting, modern smart lighting systems provide a flexible and affordable solution. Plus, they’re easy to use. A 10-minute tutorial is all that most homeowners need to master their system.
Although it’s a relatively small upgrade, integrating smart lighting can make a significant difference in how your home functions and feels.
