Todays consumers want it all: whole - house controls that work with incandescents, CFLs and LEDs which they can command from their tablet computer - all while saving energy. Thanks to new technology, you can have a coffeemaker that automatically starts your brew of choice at 7 a.m. while you listen to an Internet radio station that remembers all your favorite songs and your TiVo automatically records your favorite shows. With all of this, its no wonder people have come to expect the same level of convenience and control with their lighting. Whether its dimmers that are compatible with their bulb of choice - be they incandescent, halogen, CFL or LED - or systems that can turn their lights off from 100 miles away while on vacation, consumers want it all. "This is a new era thats changing the way we use, design and market controls," says American Lighting Assn. Director of Engineering and Technology Terry McGowan. In response, manufacturers have released a bevy of new products, which McGowan says address three major issues: new types of controls, compatibility with new light sources and a new focus on energy reduction.

New controls
According to McGowan, theres a proliferation of new kinds of lighting controls in the marketplace right now, including whole - house systems, which let users control all of a homes lighting using a keypad, remote or computer program. Some systems also control a thermostat and shades.
Remote - controlled systems have also taken off, McGowan says. Some systems even have an application for smart phones or tablet computers. "Remote controlled used to mean you could control your lights from the other side of the room, but now you can do it from the other side of the planet," he says. "Because its connected to the Internet, you can get off a plane and turn on your house lights and adjust your thermostat, all while waiting for your luggage."
Radio controls are another new area that McGowan calls a game - changer. "You can stick a light switch right on the wall because it doesnt have to be wired into the electrical systems because it uses a radio signal," he says. "This will really change the dynamic of buying and using controls because people will be able to do it themselves without hiring an electrician."

New sources
Another major area of focus within the control industry is compatibility with new light sources. The major issue with these new light sources is dimmability, as traditional dimmers can cause flickering or drop - off when used with CFLs or LEDs. One new advance that is helping correct this issue is controls that sense the electrical load and adjust to accommodate it. "With these new controls, you dont have to be completely up - to - date with the type of light youre using, because the control is smart enough to figure it out," McGowan says.
This also means that if consumers switch to a different light source, they wont have to buy a new control. New rules
With lighting energy regulations becoming increasingly stringent, controls are now being used to save energy, instead of just for aesthetics. "There are two ways to reduce lighting energy. First, make light bulbs more efficient, and second, reduce the power when you dont need the full light output or turn it off," McGowan says. "Controls can be equally powerful, and the responsibility for reducing energy use should be shared between controls and sources."
McGowan says controls that manage energy use vary in size and scope. Some of the simpler products include dimmers, timers or smart light switches with motion sensors. "These systems are great, especially for rooms like the bathroom, because if the switch senses that the room is vacant for more than 10 minutes, it switches the lights off," he says. "It helps with kids running in and out or people just forgetting to turn off the lights. It takes care of it without inconveniencing anybody."
Whole - house controls can also adjust light levels, shades and even thermostats, depending on the time of day. So whether consumers want something simple or all - encompassing, there are plenty of options.
"The beauty of it is it can be both," McGowan says. "You can use something that just goes into a wall box, like a dimmer or smart light switch with an occupancy sensor, or you can integrate it into a whole - house system. Whether you have a simple apartment or a 10,000 - square - foot house, its scalable."