While sold on the benefits of converting to Casambi, the most common concerns we hear from new customers as they stand on the precipice of their wireless lighting investment are…

As human beings, we love control and choice. In fact, we need to have a certain level of control and choice in our lives. The accelerating demand for smart products is perhaps connected to the discovery of this psychological value behind the IoT. As consumers, we’re investing in wireless smart health and fitness devices, remote home security, and automated heating systems. The data harnessed through the IoT can reveal inefficiencies ripe for exploitation while going wireless is all about collapsing distance and using technology to enable people to live richer lives with minimal environmental impact. Whatever can go wireless, will go wireless. Not least – lighting.

Even though the benefits are multifarious, there still exists a certain amount of reluctance to operate over radio waves. At Casambi, we appreciate these concerns. We’ve spent decades cultivating mastery of wireless communications and we offer technical expertise, and guidance to minimize the barriers to going cable-free.

Today, people want to personalize their lighting experience and to do so with ease and within an instant. Casambi’s simple wireless lighting control system opens up a whole new world of possibilities in this respect. Our uncomplicated yet feature-rich application can seamlessly control all luminaires in any given lighting project. Users of our wireless system can free themselves from the physical constraints of wiring and the proprietary legacy systems of yesterday. And the ever-expanding features of Casambi’s control application can match the strictest of briefs and the wildest of imaginations.

While sold on these benefits, the most common concerns we hear from new customers as they stand on the precipice of their wireless lighting investment are related to security, interference, and robustness. Here’s what we have to say to help dispel any misplaced anxiety:

Firstly, it is possible to control access rights to your network and to define who interacts with the lights, if at all. An assigned ‘administrator’ can make all network changes and give access rights to new users. A ‘manager’ can make changes to all lighting control functionalities but cannot get access to passwords or decide who can access the network. A ‘user’ can only use the network but not make any changes.

Secondly, full encryption of communications and security for authorization means all data that is transmitted in a Casambi network is 100% protected and safe.

A connected device is needed for the setup (for communication between the app and the nodes). Once the network is set up, it does not require any outside contact, and the node-to-node communication is encrypted at each step – so even being able to “listen” to the communication in the network wouldn’t give you much.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is used for communication between a mobile phone or the control device and the Casambi platform. BLE is the most popular, well-tested, and reliable low power radio technology found in all modern smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches today. It’s a wireless personal area network, which means that it can function without being connected to the internet. No additional network connectivity is needed (LAN or WAN) during normal operation.

However, if you wanted to connect a Casambi network with a third-party Building Management System, a gateway can aggregate communication from the light controllers and backhaul data to a central management platform. In this instance, communication between a mobile device/gateway and the Cloud is fully encrypted by multiple industry standards and proprietary encryption mechanisms. We have a network that we connect to the cloud through a gateway set up in the app. Once this gateway is set up, the network is connected to Casambi Cloud Service i.e. our servers. From our servers, there is an API connection to third-party services.

Thirdly, security is at the core of our platform strategy. Sharing the same hardware and software environment, all Casambi nodes run on the latest version of the available firmware while over-the-air programming allows us to push new security, software features, and additional functionality out to the entire fleet of installed devices at once.

Source: https://casambi.com/blog/three-common-misconceptions-about-going-wireless/

How easy is it to identify and act upon sustainability principles, and how does that equate to lighting? Using a circular economy model means that current resources are used (and reused) more effectively by being creative with how they are used rather than simply discarding them.

The lighting industry has always been subject to a make and dispose of type of linear economy, particularly with low-life fluorescent and halogen luminaires. However, LED lighting (with a much longer shelf life) has played a huge role in changing the way in how we think of (and use) lighting and is much more energy-efficient. Over the last decade, the lighting transformation to LEDs has already happened, mostly in commercial buildings where lighting accounts for the highest share in electricity consumption. In most cases, this transformation was handled by simply disposing of the old luminaires and replacing them with new ones, while in some instances, a circular economy angle was minded. In such cases, the existing luminaire housings were kept, and old light sources were replaced with LEDs with a much longer lifespan and higher energy efficiency, significantly reducing the waste.

Nowadays, lighting can be much smarter, responsive to the surrounding conditions (presence of people, daylight), and more flexible to support changing functions, layouts, and individual choices for better lighting. Smart lighting controls add to the well-being of people and enable further energy savings. With an

Written by: Duygu Cakir

Source: https://casambi.com/blog/reusing-repurposing-and-upgrading-lighting/

Today, no one is arguing that the lighting industry has gone through a major transformation. Technology-wise we have gone from chemistry and physics into electronics and digital, and what used to be an industry dominated by a few giants but we now have a massive number of players in changing and challenging the industry daily.

One of the roles that have gone through its own transformation is the role of the lighting designer. From being the creative and artistic lead with no voice in the technical area to being the glue that makes a project come together, the role has drastically changed over the past few years. The competencies and requirements today are not only in the visual and design areas but also in the technical field where controls, automation, and wireless need to be understood and designed into a project from the very beginning.

As lighting design itself becomes more and more entangled in the technology, and as human-centric lighting takes the lead in future projects, the responsibility on the lighting designer is not only on the visual but on the function as well. The right lighting experience requires the right controls, and that also requires an understanding of the enabling systems.

Ms Toh Yah Li, 39, is one of the few certified lighting designers in the world. She is also a professional member of the International Association of Lighting Designers and is the coordinator for Southeast Asia. In 2019, she was also named one of 40 under 40 at the Lighting Design Awards in London, which recognises the world’s most talented lighting designers.

She always wanted to be an architect, but after graduating from architecture school at National University of Singapore, she changed course after realising that building design was more about efficiency than designing spaces for people. “Light is the fourth dimension and the soul of a space. It was missing in architecture, which is why I wanted to pursue lighting design.” At 22, she left for Germany to pursue a Master of Arts in architectural lighting design, and her career direction was set

There is a common misunderstanding that lighting designers like myself design lights and chandeliers or that I simply pick out lights for a project. Anyone can pick out light fixtures but not everyone can design a luminous concept, which is the role of a lighting designer.

Lighting design is about painting or filling up spaces with layers that allow people to feel something more. Light can make you want to linger on or make you leave a place sooner. It’s not about making a space look brighter or the idea that the more lights there are, the better.

For example, we did the lighting for habitat by honestbee. It is the first supermarket cum experience centre and you can feel the sense of space and you want to hang out there.This feeling is created without the lighting fixtures being obvious. For the Singapore Buddhist Lodge, I designed five layers of light to fill the main hall. It brings the temple to life, creating different moods rather than illuminating the space with floodlights.

I have to convince clients why they need a lighting designer. There’s a misconception that the value of lighting is low since it is intangible. But lighting can bring up the value of good design, help with branding, help a shop sell more goods and make an office more productive, among other benefits.

I seek meaningful collaborations with clients, architects and interior designers. But it’s not always possible because not every collaborator is open to my lighting ideas. There are times we get hired too late and we end up having to rectify jobs which can be costly. In Singapore there are fewer than 30 lighting design practices and only a small percentage are Singaporean firms so people might not take a local firm seriously. There are no lighting design courses in Singapore, so people think that lighting designers are not skillful.

Source: http://casambi.com/blog/the-changing-role-of-the-lighting-designer/

and: http://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/design/news/what-does-a-lighting-designer-do/

@casambi, www.casambi.com

The trend for boosting a building’s eco-credentials is on the rise. Learn how Casambi can play its part.

In a world of constant change, the concept of sustainability is increasingly incorporated into our daily lives. And not least into construction projects – where exciting new approaches to green building design and refurbishments aim to reduce environmental impact and gain alignment with the UN’s  Sustainable Development Goals. A building is no longer simply a structure prepared for human activities, but also a place designed to optimize space and material use while actively improving its occupants’ health and well-being.

Green building rating tools are increasingly used to assess and recognize buildings that meet certain standards. Assessment programs like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), and WELL (WELL Building Standard) – to name but a few – help buildings guarantee their environmental, social, and economic sustainability performance. Each certification system has its own requirements and assessment criteria, but all consider energy savings and lighting.

Did you know that Casambi can play its part in helping you to achieve credits? Our wireless lighting control solution not only enables energy saving but also confers social benefits by improving visual comfort and personal safety.

Here’s a lowdown of some sustainable lighting strategies to which Casambi can contribute:

• Optimize energy performance.

by providing just the right amount of light when and where it is needed. To achieve this, Casambi supports presence sensors, daylight sensors, timers, and software tools that enable continuous monitoring and analysis of a lighting system’s energy performance.

• Minimize energy consumption.

Lighting control reduces energy use – as expected – but also contributes to the reduction of heat dissipation. In addition to lighting, Casambi can automate blinds to prevent heat from escaping or to keep a building cooler during hot weather. Consequently, this also lightens the strain on HVAC systems and associated spending.

• Provide individual lighting control

by dimming directly from the app or switches. This enables adjustments that meet individual occupant or group needs and preferences.

• Provide visual acuity 

to improve workforce welfare. The combination of sensors and lighting control can measure lux level and automatically adjust light intensity to cater to highly localized lighting needs.

• Reduce glare

by controlling the excessive quantity of light and improving the visual experience of occupants within a given space.

• Daylight control.

As the adage goes, the cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use. With Casambi, it’s possible to dim or brighten artificial lighting based on daylight sensor feedback. This can entail a perpetual balancing act to achieve maximum lighting quality and reduced energy consumption in unison with the intermittency of nature.

• Reduce circadian phase disruption.

Nowadays, we tend to spend most of our time in indoor spaces. This is wreaking havoc on our circadian rhythms – to the detriment of our health. With Casambi, you can control the color temperature of tunable white luminaires based on time of day to remain in sync with your body clock.

• Reduce light pollution

by automatically controlling the amount and brightness level of light produced inside a building during nighttime hours and provide light for specific outside spaces requiring illumination without blanket coverage.

• Reduce CO2 emissions

by going wireless. The potential for reduction in embodied and operational carbon due to reduced/zero wiring (not forgetting the associated materials such as electric trays, racks, servers, and installation footprint) and equipment use is an indisputable advantage.

• Easy commissioning.

Casambi-enabled products are configured and used with the Casambi app running on a smart device. There’s no need for wires nor any Ethernet connection. The user interface of the commissioning tool is graphical, not text-based. This means fast and easy commissioning… at your fingertips.

• Monitor lighting data. 

Through a modern API, Casambi networks can be integrated into 3rd party-building facilities dashboards and applications which enable real-time monitoring of energy consumption, the identification, and tracking of faulty equipment, operational anomalies, and occupancy patterns.

• Innovation. 

Casambi is open to all lighting industry players. We’re at the core of an entire ecosystem of products. This way we can support the development of innovative products – products that are achieving exceptional performance and thus ticking the right boxes for green building certification.

Energy efficiency is but one facet of sustainability. Other benefits must be thrown into the mix to make a truly positive impact on the world – from helping to protect natural resources, consuming fewer materials, contributing to lowering greenhouse gases emissions, developing environments that enhance the well-being of people in both the short and long terms, and reducing operational and maintenance costs. Casambi is proud to play its part in enabling a sustainable future.

Leticia Mori – Casambi Lighting Control Designer based in Madrid, Spain 

This blog post has been written by Leticia Mori, a member of our Specification Success Team. Leticia is a civil/structural engineer with a master’s degree in Energy Efficiency. She is also a certified PMP (Project Management Professional, PMI) and Scrum Master. Over the years, Leticia has worked on many kinds of lighting projects spanning the industrial, hospitality, office, residential, and retail segments. She has participated in every phase of these projects from understanding clients’ needs to delivering fixtures on-site, and everything in-between. 

Source: https://casambi.com/blog/lighting-control-for-a-more-sustainable-world