Last Updated: Jul 10, 2021
One of the first energy efficiency lessons that children are taught from a young age is to turn off the lights when not in use. Despite our best efforts as parents to teach this lesson, the International Dark-Sky Association estimates that 35 percent of the light that we use is wasted. The report says that the wasted light used to power our homes and businesses amount to around 15 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. It is equivalent to the emission from 3 million passenger cars. The economic cost of 3 billion dollars to power lights that we don’t use should certainly cause concern. However, the extra 30 million barrels of oil and 8.2 million tons of coal used to create this unused lighting should worry us much more.
We live busy, hectic lives today, and forgetting to turn off the lights before rushing off to work or school is often a part of our daily routine. However, the rise of smart home technologies can help counter some of the homeowner behavioral tendencies that negatively affect the operational efficiency of the homes. Automated, Wi-Fi LED lighting controls are one recent smart home technology. It can improve the energy efficiency of our homes while also increasing homeowner comfort and security.
The first generation of automated lighting products played an important role in helping homeowners to reduce energy demand. Motion sensors placed on light bulbs allowed lights only to be turned on when movement is detected in a room. In many cases, however, the constant turning off and on of light bulbs in places where people were continually moving was not only a nuisance but could increase energy usage. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends leaving lights on if you will only be out of the room for 15 minutes, as the switching on and off of lights can increase overall energy usage. Recently, smart light bulbs, using LED technology, have allowed for customizable home lighting solutions. It can be scheduled and controlled remotely by homeowners through apps that work with their home Wi-Fi system. Unfortunately, smart light bulbs are considerably more expensive than regular LEDs. Replacing every light in your home with a smart bulb can be a sizeable investment. Smart lighting controls are widely considered the most cost-effective way to control all of your home's lights through a mobile app or smart home system. The average U.S. household has at least 45 light bulbs in their homes. Smart lighting control systems can help you avoid the need to replace every light—likely a more expensive option than simply replacing a few switches.
Besides helping to reduce energy demand and increase energy efficiency in our homes, Wi-Fi lighting controls can also play an important role in improving overall home security. A recent Gallup Crime Survey found that 37 percent of Americans “say there is an area within a mile of where they live where they would be afraid to walk alone at night.” That number increases to 45 percent for women. Coming home at night to a dark home can increase vulnerability to crime. However, leaving your lights on for 8 to 10 hours while you are at work comes with a heavy environmental and economic footprint.
Smart light switches allow homeowners to remotely activate the lights in their home 10-15 minutes before they arrive. This solution offers the best of both worlds, increasing the sense of security while also minimizing the electricity demand. There are an estimated 2.5 million burglaries each year, two-thirds of which are home break-ins. An estimated 85 percent of these home break-ins are committed by “non-professional thieves,” which suggests that the presence of exterior lights can act as a sufficient deterrent to protect your home.
When searching for the best smart light switches, it is important to find products compatible with the smart home system you use. Alternatively, investing in a smart home hub will allow your smart home technologies to support various communication protocols such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and others. Below, we briefly review four of the top Wi-Fi LED lighting controls for the smart home of today.
The Leviton Decora line of products offers several smart lighting solutions for the home, including smart plug-ins. The company’s website also offers a helpful compatibility tool so that homeowners can find the best dimmers and bulbs that will work well together. They also make it easy for homeowners to decide between Wi-Fi, Apple Home Kit, Z Wave, and Bluetooth communication protocols so that you can ensure a seamless and trouble-free connection between all your smart home components. The Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi 600W Incandescent/300W LED Dimmer currently costs $56.32 at Home Depot, requires no separate home hub, and works well with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Nest Home Smart systems.
The Lutron Caseta series of Wi-Fi lighting controls are some of the most versatile on the market. Unlike other products, the Lutron Caseta wireless dimmer switches are compatible with several different LED light types. Because the Lutron doesn’t require a neutral wire, these Wi-Fi lighting controls can be used in new and older homes up to 2,500 square feet in size. These switches are also tested for over 1,000 types of bulbs, including dimmable LEDs, incandescent, and halogen bulbs—meaning that you will not have to invest in purchasing new smart bulbs for your entire home. The Lutron MRF2-8S-DV-WH Maestro Wireless 8 Amp Multi-location Switch currently costs $154.88 at Amazon and can be customizable to be used on up to 10 devices.
The WeMo Smart Light Switch allows homeowners to control their home lighting from the wall, their smartphones (via a dedicated app), or voice controls. This smart light switch can seamlessly connect to an existing home Wi-Fi network for easy, wireless control of your home lights without requiring a separate home hub. The WeMo light switch is also extremely versatile and can be used for all different lights and appliances, including porch lights, ceiling fans, and recessed lighting. The WeMo Light Switch currently costs $25.98 at Amazon, though you will have to purchase several switches if you want to control lights throughout your home.
The Phillips Hue Dimmer Switch is a relatively inexpensive starter kit for homeowners looking to upgrade to smart light switches but doesn’t want to invest in a complete smart home hub. On the downside, this product will only work with Phillips Hue bulbs. For sale for $24.99 at BestBuy, this product also includes a white light bulb to which the remote is already paired, and you can expand up to 10 lights on the same switch.
Wi-Fi LED lighting controls can reduce your electricity bills and increase comfort and security levels in your home. So if you are working on any home improvement project, they are definitely worth checking out.
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.