In trying to keep an eye to the future of our industry, we come across a lot of new technology.  We also come across technology that may not be new, but for one reason or another hasn’t taken off the way that we think it should.  Recently, the trend has been more towards the Internet of Things, where people want to be able to control devices like their thermostat or lighting from their smartphone.  Ultimately, these technologies, while fresh on people’s minds, aren’t that new of an idea.  However, they are becoming increasingly more mainstream due to the cost savings associated with them.  LED lighting uses less energy than traditional incandescent or florescent bulbs do, but they can also be run over low-voltage cabling.  Installation costs dramatically decrease for this type of system.  You also gain the ability to link them into a network of sensors that can analyze daylight harvesting techniques and dim lights automatically or completely turn them off depending on how much daylight is getting into a space.  This article from the June 2013 edition of LEDs Magazine goes more in depth on the topic.  It’s a good read and well worth the time to learn a little bit more about where our industry is heading in the future.

LEDs Magizine Article