smart electrician | issue one 2016

Smart ElectricianThe Internet of Things for Electricians

Exci

ting

LightingReinventing

LEDsnanotechnology

with

Amazon Echo allows

voice controlof lighting & switches

SmartLighting

systemsLED revolution

it’s digital & limited only by

The

imagination!

Philips Hue integrates with

Apple Watch

personalised

lightingexperiences

to instantly deliver

LED lighting can now send

promotional messages toshopper’s mobile devices

Smar

t El

ectr

icia

n m

agaz

ine

| 20

16 I

SSU

E 01

Because for us, only better will do

Light is atmosphericSimply dim for a warmer colour temperature – GLOWdim LED lamps

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Light is OSRAM

www.osram.co.uk/led

From warm white to extra warm white just by dimming

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Cosier lighting by changing the colour temperaturePARATHOM® ADVANCED GLOWdim LED lamps can be dimmed to reduce the brightness in a room, and at the same time their colour temperature changes from warm white to extra warm white. This special feature means that by simply dimming 2 them you can enhance your interior design and give a room a cosy atmosphere.

Features — A warmer colour temperature at reduced luminous � ux – from 2,700 K to 2,000 K

— Long life of up to 25,000 hours — Energy savings of up to 90% compared to corresponding incandescent or halogen re� ector lamps

— Simple replacement thanks to the same base and compact dimensions

— 5 year OSRAM guarantee 1

— Compatible with a wide variety of commercial dimmers 2

OSRAM PARATHOM® GLOWdim lamps are ideal for: — Hotels and restaurants — Residential properties

1 For detailed guarantee conditions go to www.osram.co.uk/guarantee2 LED lamps can be operated with a wide variety of commercially-available dimmers; details

and results of compatibility tests can be seen at www.osram.co.uk/dim and in the additional technical product information sheets linked there

GLOWdim

Item name Product number (EAN)

Replacement for

PARATHOM ADVANCED GLOWdim CL A60 frosted 4052899943360 8,5 60 W 806 2.700–2.000 80 111 60 25.000 A+

PARATHOM ADVANCED GLOWdim CL B40 frosted 4052899943377 6 40 W 470 2.700–2.000 80 105 38 25.000 A+

PARATHOM ADVANCED GLOWdim PAR16 48 4052899938700 5 48 W 330 2.700–2.000 80 58 50 25.000 A+

PARATHOM ADVANCED GLOWdim MR16 33 4052899938694 5 33 W 330 2.700–2.000 80 50 50 25.000 A+

To request a brochure or discuss your LED requirements call us today on 01744 812221

We present the first issue of ‘Smart Electrician’ of 2016, designed for all of you who want to go beyond traditional electrical installation and delve into the exciting world of new technologies that are already changing our world.

This is the world of the Internet of course, but also that new buzzword, the Internet of Things (IoT), its industrial counterpart, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as well as smart and connected LED lighting, OLED displays and other marvels.

There are also some new and potentially very exciting ways of making LEDs much more energy efficient. This involves nanotechnology techniques and you’ll find out more in this issue.

Other fascinating new technologies that will bring many new possibilities – including significant extra business opportunities for you – include Wi Fi wireless communication.

Our first issue of ‘Smart Electrician’ in November last year, was mainly about the almost exponentially expanding Internet of Things. Did you like it? Do tell, because without feedback, it’s sometimes hard to improve. Go to: www.voltimum.co.uk/SE to gives us your views, comments and ideas.

This edition is much more about smart and/or connected lighting, some also taking in the IoT.

It is the very fact that LED lighting is digital that is now making the real waves. Being digital, LEDs are controlled very differently from conventional lamps – and in ways that are opening up entirely new possibilities. One of these is connectability, leading to lighting’s easy integration into the already massively growing IoT. Indeed, Philips considers lighting to be ‘the foundation of the IoT’ – well, it’s certainly one part of that foundation.

So take a look at this issue of ‘Smart Electrician’, which reports on smart lighting, the voice control of lighting and switches, the LED revolution, how lighting can now send promotional messages to shoppers, personalised lighting experiences, connecting lighting to Apple’s watch, plus that exciting nanotechnology development.

Here we go again...this time with smart lighting!


Exci

ting

LightingReinventing

LEDsnanotechnology

with

Amazon Echo allows

voice controlof lighting & switches

SmartLighting

systemsLED revolution


The

imagination!

Philips Hue integrates with

Apple Watch

personalised

lightingexperiences


LED lighting can now send

promotional messages toshopper’s mobile devices

DESIGN, EDITORIAL & NEWSSoraia Antunes

e: [email protected] t: 020 7751 3906

PRINT & DISTRIBUTIONVoltimum UK & Ireland Ltd


SALES & ADVERTISINGAmy Latchana


If you are not a member of the Voltimum community sign up for free today at www.voltimum.co.uk

610

LED lighting can now send promotional messages

to shopper’s mobile devices

A new LED lighting technology has been developed to give helpful tips to

shoppers in addition to lighting.

12Smart home design to everyone

ABB has vast experience providing advanced products, Free@home is no exception. ABB-free@home transforms the house or the flat into an intelligent

smart home.

14Exciting lighting

The past decade has been an incredibly exciting one for the global

lighting industry because of the LED revolution that is the result of

affordable white LED lighting.

18The LED revolution - it’s digital and

limited only by imagination!

Conventional lighting systems are being superseded by LED systems.

And now the Internet of Things promises another revolution.

22Reinventing LEDs with nanotechnology

Technology is evolving at an amazing speed. Every day there are new

developments and with the help of nanotechnology, lighting is set

to be reinvented.

24Philips Hue integrates with Apple

Watch to instantly deliver personalised lighting experiences

Philips has announced that its LED‘Hue’ lighting system can now be controlled through the Apple Watch.

26As LEDs become commodity items,

lighting design and control strategies come to the fore

LED lighting products have become virtually commodity items. So where is

LED lighting going?

28Amazon Echo allows voice control of

lighting and switches

Amazon Echo is a high quality audio speaker, but it has been designed

around the human voice and starts working at the ‘wake’ word.

30Is the IOT a threat to

the DALI lighting standard?

The DALI lighting protocol has been around since 1984 and has become widely used. But with the ‘Internet of

Things’, is a big change afoot?

32Smart Lighting systems

Bill Wright, Head of Energy Solutions at Electrical Contractors’ Association

(ECA) talks to us regarding smart lighting systems and its rapid development in the industry.

34An insatiable appetite for Technology

Richard Hayward, lead marketing manager for Legrand’s wiring devices business, addresses smart technology adoption and the effect this is having

on our everyday lives.

36Sustainable technologies can

mean very significant new business opportunities for electrical contractors

Want new business? Take a look at the opportunities presented by the

latest ‘green’ technologies.

39London voted

World’s third ‘smartest’ city

A new study has placed London third in a table of global ‘smart’ cities 2015,

with Barcelona taking the top spot. Find out what it takes.

41Cooler’s making for hotter…

In which fast rising demand for air conditioning and refrigeration – rather than merely ventilation - is

going to make our world still hotter. A contradiction? Unfortunately no!

Home Advantage

Marie Parry, group marketing manager at Scolmore Group,

examines the trend towards smarter homes, and looks at some of the options available for wholesalers.

6

Worth around £65 million in 2011, the UK home automation market by the end of 2016 will be worth some £156 million at DSP (Distributor Selling Price). In terms of volume, this equates to around 37,000 systems installed. This growth is being driven by the rapid advance in technology, which is bringing intelligent automation systems to a growing number of homes and work places, allowing control of everything from lighting, heating, communications and entertainment.

Home automation technology has been available for many years but demand for systems in the UK have until recently been largely limited to luxury homes and specialist projects. However, with declining costs and complexity, plus greater awareness of system benefits, industry experts predict that home automation is set to become one of the fastest growing markets in the UK.

Forecasts indicate that the pace of growth will increase over the next five years as the UK home automation market becomes more established. This can be partly attributed to growing concerns about energy efficiency and the environment and technological developments that will make home automation system products cheaper and easier to use.

Fewer than 0.1% of UK homes currently have a home automation system installed (this compares to around 5% of residential homes in the USA). Although small, the penetration of home automation in the UK is growing almost exponentially for both new and existing housing stock. In terms of importance, access and security control continues to be the most popular application area for home automation, followed by multi-room audio, home theatre, climate control and lighting control.

Home advantage!

6 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016

Marie Parry, group marketing manager at Scolmore Group, examines the trend towards smarter homes, and looks at some of the options available for wholesalers.

The further development of super-fast broadband services is likely to support demand for home automation, with new and improved products taking greater advantage of digital technology. These will deliver a better and more efficient service to the homeowner.

Continued growth in this market sector will depend on the extent that home automation technology becomes affordable and accessible to the mainstream market. Declining prices and the increasing availability are likely to accelerate market demand for these systems.

No longer the preserve of the rich and famous, the smart home is becoming accessible to us all and a raft of new products, specifically designed to enhance our lifestyles and save energy, is now available. Electrical wholesalers and contractors are in a prime position to take a share of this growth by understanding the products and systems available.

Whether the project involves updating an existing wiring system, or is the start of a brand new domestic or commercial building project, there is a home automation system that will deliver the right solution while meeting the required budget. From RF wireless control of lighting and heating through to the all-singing, all-dancing, interactive multimedia systems, smart technology is certainly here to stay.

Intelligent energy saving By intelligent controlling of the lighting and heating throughout a home it is possible to make significant cost and energy savings, and this is the case with wired and wireless automation.

For instance, central heating systems, rather than heating the whole house, can be split into different zones so that rooms or areas are warmed as and when they are required. In the same way, lighting systems can be controlled so that the right light output is delivered when and where it is needed.

Wireless control

To enjoy the benefits of home automation in an existing dwelling but with minimum cost and disruption, a wireless system is the answer. Complete control of the heating, lighting, shutters, blinds, gates, garage doors and appliances is achievable without the need for additional cabling or cutting into walls.

Receivers are simply fitted behind the light fittings or into suitable installation boxes and the transmitters are powered by battery, so require no additional power supply.

Once a decision has been made on which features are to be controlled, the system can be installed and up and running in a very short space of time. Heating, switching, dimming, control of shutters, window and door opening can all be quickly and easily set and adjusted.

Daily and weekly switching programmes can be set and it is also possible to simulate occupancy when a house is empty - setting the lights to come on and curtains to close in the evenings, for example - giving peace of mind.

Wired for sound

Operating at the other end of the market is the wired home automation - or BUS - system. This high-specification type of system allows a myriad of different functions to be operated throughout the home or the work place - even where is there no-one on the premises - thanks to the remote control capability of the whole system via a computer or mobile phone. With the click of a mouse, a quick text or the sound of a voice, any number and combination of commands can be set in motion to operate the gadgets in a home - lights switched and dimmed, heating regulated and curtains and blinds set to create the desired ambience.

It offers total control over the number of features and appliances to be managed, as well as the configuration of the controllers that will operate them - from wall switches, voice control units, touch screen panels and IR remote controls. Sensors, switches and actuators ►

2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 7

INELS wireless control and automation products by Scolmore enable you to upgrade your electrical installation to provide added security, energy saving, comfort and control without the need for intrusive and unwanted disturbance to your décor.

Retro-fit and affordable, the products can be installed to transform any building to provide numerous benefits to suit all manner of requirements, both practical and aesthetic, that will bring added value to those using the building, whether it be a home or a business.

Upgrade your home...

SIMULATED OCCUPANCY Control of lighting (both internal and external) to create simulated occupancy

Leave lighting to turn off automatically when you leave for work

Have lighting, as well as audio devices such as radio’s switch on and off during holidays to give your home that lived in appearance

LIGHTING Automatically turn off lighting and power when you want to. Central programmer enables you to programme lighting and power seven days a week

Last man out function – not sure if the upstairs lights are still on? Easily remedied by a master switch inside the front door to turn everything off when you leave and back on when you return

LIFE’S LITTLE LUXURIES Creating scenes to provide added ambience for any situation around the home

Control children’s rooms to restrict use of TV / gaming etc.

Provide timed access routes to create scenes such as “morning” or “bedtime”

IN THE HOME Change the use of a room – putting switches where you want them. Ideal for converting a downstairs room into a bedroom

IN THE OFFICE Switches can be mounted on any surface – even glass

IN THE GARDEN Wireless switching up to 200 metres

OUTDOOR LIGHTING Automatically switch on lights via presence detectors

Additional switching for multiple use (all the family can have a key fob to put external lights on as they approach the home)

Providing complete control via simple solutions

EXTERNAL POWER Providing switching for external power so that sockets on the outside of buildings are only powered when you want to use them

Automatically switch on/off Christmas lighting so that it is only on when you want it to be

ASSISTED LIVING Provides flexibility to change an installation to meet changing requirements of the occupier

Use a bell push to switch a light on for the hard of hearing

Create a bedtime route that turns all lights on and off to allow the occupier to get to bed without needing to switch lights on/off

IN BUSINESS Interacts with building management systems to provide additional control

COMMUNAL AREAS Walkway lighting (hotels and commercial properties with interconnecting buildings)

call: 01827 63454 email: [email protected] visit: www.scolmore.com

Untitled-3 1 10/02/2016 09:19:20

all interact with each other to deliver the commands that have been programmed into what is effectively a bespoke system.

Because everything is set from the computer via a simple program, it is possible to change or modify the settings of any of the devices and units connected to the system – such as creating or modifying lighting mood scenes and varying the time it takes dimmers to fade up or down. It is also possible to add and extend units at any time, which means that there is ultimate flexibility to adapt the system to suit changing needs and requirements.

With the touch of a button it is possible to regulate the heating and lighting, close the shutters and gates, see who has arrived at the front door, dim the lamp in a child’s bedroom and set the coffee machine percolating. The options are endless.

Whichever system provides the required solution, what they have in common is a means of reducing costs and saving energy, and with the 2016 deadline that will require all new dwellings to be ‘zero carbon’ looming, it is within everyone’s interest to embrace the technology that is helping to shape the future of our homes and work places.

Click iNELS RF wireless system

The Click iNELS Radio Frequency wireless control system from Scolmore is suitable for both refurbishment and new build projects and can be used to update an existing wiring system. Simple and flexible installation, significant energy savings and easy programming are the key attributes of the new system, and the unique one touch centralised control panel means that everything can be easily set and adjusted from this one single control panel.

Because of its flexibility, it can be easily installed into any property - with a whole house installation taking on average no more than three days. This makes it a very attractive proposition for electrical installers who can offer it to their customers as an entry-level smart home solution. ■

Offering individual or group training on products

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Intruder and CCTV specialists…

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Prime works closely with both manufacturers and installers. This enables Prime to offer training to an individual or a group. The range of products which Prime supply offer great potential for installers.

Project support and quote support;Offering individual or group training on products;Intruder and CCTV specialists…

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Adding to the seeming avalanche of ‘smart’ lighting and other devices that can communicate - and which are part of the ‘Internet of Things’ - is news that an LED lighting technology has been developed that not only provides light in all the right places, but also gives helpful tips to shoppers.

If you thought you’d heard it all with LED lighting, well you probably haven’t, because here’s a new application that has very direct implications for businesses. LED lighting technology is now being used in a bookstore to make the whole retail space highly attractive…so far so good… ….but what is really different (and perhaps slightly scary) is that the technology uses Bluetooth and location information to send promotional messages and helpful tips to shoppers and book browsers. Of course, while this innovative lighting scheme enhances the look of the shop and makes the book covers ‘leap out’ of the shelves, it has also been designed to make customers linger longer and spend more money. It works this way - sensors mounted directly inside the lights transmit Bluetooth signals, which are received by smartphones that have the Bluetooth option enabled. Using software from ByteLight, the fixtures enable the bookshop to send a variety of messages to its customers. Because the sensors are integral with the LED lights, they connect to the same power source instead of relying on batteries, which need far more frequent maintenance and which would reduce the cost-effectiveness of a stand-alone messaging system. ByteLight claims to be the first to combine Visible Light Communication (VLC), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and inertial device sensors to transform LED lights into indoor location waypoints. ByteLight does not make the LED lighting or the fixtures, but does provide the mobile apps, and the lighting companies, with the software to integrate ByteLight into their products. What it can do… The customer specific messaging is possible because the data communicated between smartphone and the light fittings tracks each customer’s movements and sends

helpful information depending on where they are in the store. Take a couple of examples – in one scenario, a customer going into the children’s book area could receive an offer direct to his / her phone for (say) 10% off certain titles. Another customer browsing the science section might receive a list of recommended reads. Many more scenarios are possible, but the shoppers must have Apple’s Passbook App for the system to work. And, of course, they must have their smartphones switched on with the geo-location enabled. The high accuracy and sub-second latency means that shop customers can be pinpointed down to a one metre section of a store’s shelving in under a second. Unlike other solutions that require additional infrastructure – such as Wi-Fi hotspots or Bluetooth beacons - this software works with an existing infrastructure, which - in this particular case - is the LED lighting fixtures. Because LED light sources now last longer than earlier LEDs, and far longer than conventional technology lamps, and also save lots of energy into the bargain, it now makes financial sense for lighting companies to add other features to the LED lamps – in addition to those we are already used to, such as daylight sensing and so on. There’s more to come This technology is likely to pave the way for a new era of in-store advertising, and may well also be a new frontier in LED lighting solutions. However, this is just the beginning, because ByteLight is also developing a technology that uses pulses of light, emitted from a lighting fixture, to calculate a shopper’s precise location without Bluetooth. However, as a camera is needed to receive the light pulses, currently, this technology only works when the customer holds a camera-equipped smartphone in line of sight. As it happens, this first bookstore application is in the USA – Green Apple Books, San Francisco – but the technique could, and probably will be, applied widely and in any country. Such scenarios clearly illustrate the way in which digital (LED) lighting is going, because of its easy connectability. ■

LED lighting can now send promotional messages to shopper’s mobile devices


SMARTHOMEdesign toeveryone

ABB Low Voltage Products division manufactures low-voltage circuit breakers, switches, control products, wiring accessories, enclosures and cable systems to protect people, installations and electronic equipment from electrical overload. Now, the division has come up with a new home automation system:

In addition to the above, ABB Low Voltage Products division is also involved with smart building and home automation products and systems. For example, it makes KNX systems that integrate and automate a building’s electrical installations, ventilation systems, and security and data communication networks. ABB has vast experience providing advanced products for a broad spectrum of applications in homes, public buildings, retail outlets and industrial plant. It therefore has the expertise to design an advanced yet low cost smart home system.

Success with home automation has never been so easy. ABB-free@home is innovative home automation with which home owners and the family can easily control blinds, lights, heating, air conditioning and door communication with a simple operatable function - whether via switch, ABB-free@homeTouch, web interface, or via app for smartphone or tablet. It is, therefore, suitable for controlling the entire technology in the networked house. This brings new freedoms, because lights can be switched on/off, blinds moved or rooms heated or cooled from anywhere in the house - or indeed anywhere in the world, if required. As an example, such control allows a living room to be transformed in a matter of seconds to suit an occasion - for welcoming guests or for a pleasant evening of relaxation. It allows people to turn on their heating while still in work, so that they can return home to a nice warm house on a winter’s evening. ABB-free@home, transforms the house or the flat into an intelligent smart home. Whether for blinds, lights, heating, air conditioning, door communication or scenes, there is easy remote control via a switch on the wall, with the laptop or with the smartphone. It is very convenient, extremely comfortable, and importantly these days, very energy efficient. Only minimal costs are involved when compared with conventional electrical installations. How it works The heart of the system is a Wi-Fi access point (AP), which provides access to the outside world and coordinates the system. The various components of ABB-free@home interact with each other using a two-wire bus that supports both centralised and decentralised management. In the first case the function is mounted

on the DIN rail. In the second, the actuators are distributed according to standard mounting boxes. The access point enables access to the project planning, startup and visualisation using a PC or tablet. Then, the functions of the system can be defined and programmed by using a ‘wizard’ which guides the user step by step through the required programming steps. Preconfigured sensor/actuator units for the flush-mounted box already offer basic functions without any programming at all. Simple to install… Free@home is easy to install; only a few components are required - a two-wire bus line, a system access point, power supply and the desired sensors and actuators (up to 64 in one system). It requires no additional construction measures. In new buildings, the walls should be already open for the electrical installation – which means that the bus cable can simply be added. This makes planning easy for the electrician since the line routing does not determine the function. When carrying out the wiring, the electrical installer can implement a series connection, star connection or tree structure. The system needs no special cable routings or its own installed cable ducts. …and easy to configure Free@home can be made operational in just a few steps. First the tablet or laptop is connected with the system access point wire Wi-Fi. This starts the app on the tablet or laptop and a wizard guides the installer (or user) through the configuration and sets up the floor plans of the building. The sensors and actuators are inserted into the floor plan. All that remains to be done is to adjust the desired settings. ■

12 Smart Electrician ISSUE 02 | 2016 12 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016

Future proof & easy to use home automation?

ABB UK.Tel: 0333 999 9900 Fax: 0333 999 9901E-Mail: [email protected]

Free@home® is the new easy to use home automation system. From lights and heating, to curtains and door communication. Free@home provides a quick and easy way to meet all your customer’s home automation needs.

Free@home® is also totally user-friendly - you’ll be ready to use the system after only half a day’s training (which is provided free!). For more information or to book a free training session please call 0333 999 9900 or visit www.abb.com/freeathome

Certainly.

Exciting Lighting!14 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016

Exciting Lighting!

It doesn’t seem long ago – 12 years or so - that we interviewed Wolf-Dieter Bopst, then OSRAM CEO, in the company’s Munich HQ, who said: “Light emitting diodes, particularly the white LEDs, are opening up entirely new market opportunities, including general lighting in the medium term. The opto semiconductor market will be an important cornerstone for the future of OSRAM.” Apart from the internationalisation of the group, Bopst’s name is very much associated with the boosting of OSRAM’s portfolio expansions, in particular, the group’s entry into the opto-semiconductor market for LED development.

Yet at the same time he said that LEDs for general lighting were still a decade away because they were not sufficiently affordable, and in this he was perhaps wrong, because the pace of LED lighting development was such that the technology was being applied considerably sooner than this. Now, of course, the revolution is still gathering place as ever more conventional lighting types – even good and efficient solutions – are being superseded by LED systems. For example, in its latest company figures, OSRAM’s LED-based business (LED lamps, light engines and LED drivers) showed substantial growth again and reached 39% of total revenue. While the company’s traditional business performed well, despite a still very challenging environment, the market trend toward LEDs has continued to have a negative impact on the firm’s Classic Lamps & Ballasts (CLB). This situation is broadly reflected at Philips Lighting. By 2018, Philips’ management anticipates that the LED

lighting proportion of sales will have risen to between 60 and 65%. This is a massive change. Moreover, financial analysts believe that the global LED lighting penetration rate will reach 70% by 2020, but because of the exponential growth and demand for the technology, this might actually grow much faster. However, there’s always a ‘fly in the ointment’ and in this case it is that high quality LED lighting costs far more to make than the now-banned incandescent lamps, yet the demand is always for ever lower prices. This is causing problems for a number of bona fide manufacturers. In general, the current R&D drivers of LED lighting development include both LED and organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies, maximising the energy efficiency these products in the market place, removing market barriers through improvements to lifetimes, light output, colour quality and lighting system performance, reducing the costs of LED light sources and luminaires, improving product consistency while maintaining high quality products. The development of suitable standards and testing benchmarks (such as Zhaga, IEC 62031, IEC 62612, IEC/PAS 62722 and IEC/PAS 62717) is seen as being crucial. Then there is the LENI methodology, which promotes the intuitive use of lighting controls and best practise to minimise energy consumption. Good news for specifiers and installers From the lighting designer’s perspective (as well as those of lighting specifiers, contractors and installers’), the ►

The past decade has been an incredibly exciting one for the global lighting industry because of the LED revolution that is the result of the successful development of affordable white LED lighting.


news is all good as LED lighting has really significant benefits that can’t be ignored. These include a very long life indeed (if high quality LED light sources are chosen and if they are properly installed with the correct drivers in suitable luminaires), good quality white light with colours available if required, high energy efficiency, low total cost of ownership and very high lighting scheme design flexibility, among others. Even good dimming is now available.

Very importantly, another LED lighting benefit is that it is highly energy efficient – sometimes more so than more conventional very efficient light sources. Bearing in mind therefore that currently, lighting accounts for around 19% of global electricity production, according to the International Energy Agency, and that two thirds of the current lighting is based on older, energy-inefficient technologies developed before 1970, a full switch to the latest LED lighting solutions would provide – it has been estimated - an average of 40% energy savings and a big reduction in CO2 emissions. Because of these benefits, LED lighting is now being very widely installed – even in domestic homes – and there is a drive to install them into as many applications as possible that previously used conventional lighting technologies. However, LED lighting technology is not, in fact, suitable for every application. Required illumination patterns and coverage, desired lifetimes (not all LEDs last as long as others, depending on price, application and colour), confusion about advertised light outputs and wattages, dimming

possibilities and driver options are all issues that need to be considered before making your choice – conventional or LED? Many opportunities Important factors driving the LED lighting market include the rapid growth of street lighting systems, the expansion of the technology into the so-called ‘smart cities’ and intelligent lighting control. As an example, there’s OSRAM’s LIGHTIFY, with which users can control their complete lighting system at home or in the garden just with one app via smartphone or tablet PC. Every LIGHTIFY lighting product can be controlled via a Wi-Fi router and the LIGHTIFY gateway. There is also the wireless LightwaveRF system, distributed in the UK by Megaman. LightwaveRF is a range of intelligent dimmers, radiator valves, sockets and sensors that are just that little bit smarter. While they look and work just like ordinary dimmers, valves or sockets, they will change the way homeowners control their lighting, heating and power. Another technology that is fast becoming very important is the fast expanding ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), where just about everything can be IP- or otherwise wirelessly connected, i.e. lighting can ‘talk’ with other devices and systems and to your smart phones and tablets. This is happening already, with for example, Philips’ innovative Hue LED lighting system, which is now – proverbially-speaking – in bed with Google’s Nest smart thermostat and security devices. So wireless networking technologies are bringing intelligence to a new generation of smart lighting. It is partly for this reason that key industry figures predict that IT companies may take a significant share of the wireless lighting controls market in the future – possibly as part of the IoT. LED based lighting devices combined with wireless technologies are changing the market and finding good opportunities. ■

key industry figures predict that IT companies may take a significant

share of the wireless lighting controls market in the future


LED revolutionThe


imagination!The LED revolution has ensured that the past ten years or so has been an incredibly exciting time for the global lighting industry. This vast change is gathering pace as more conventional lighting systems are being superseded by LED systems. And now the Internet of Things (IoT) promises another revolution.


LED revolutionThe


imagination!

Why is this LED revolution taking place? It’s for many reasons. One is that - bearing in mind lighting accounts for around 19% of global electricity production (according to the International Energy Agency), and that two thirds of the current lighting is based on older, energy-inefficient technologies developed before 1970, a full switch to the latest LED lighting solutions would provide massive energy savings. These, it has been estimated, would average 40%, with a corresponding big reduction in CO2 emissions.

The major lighting companies that do most of the LED research – such as OSRAM, Philips and Megaman – have seen very substantial growth in LED modules, lamps, light engines and drivers over recent years, despite an often challenging financial environment, while financial analysts believe that the global LED lighting penetration rate will (possibly very conservatively) reach 70% by 2020.

A downside for the serious lighting manufacturers is that LEDs are now becoming virtually commodity items, with many suspiciously low-cost items on sale from across the world. While high quality LED lighting costs far more to make than the now-banned incandescent lamps, the demand is always for ever lower prices. This is causing problems for a number of bona fide manufacturers.

The latest trends

Currently, the main R&D drivers of LED lighting development have not changed much. They include maximising the energy efficiency of these products in the market place, removing market barriers through improvements to lifetimes, light

output, colour quality and lighting system performance, and reducing the purchase costs of LED light sources and luminaires. Then there is the rapid growth of LED street lighting systems.

Another important task – with a number of advanced and reputable manufacturers taking key roles – is to improve product consistency while maintaining high quality products. ‘Binning’ is one aspect of this and is crucially important. As Philips Lighting has noted: ‘During production, LEDs will vary in colour, flux and forward voltage and this is also true for products from the same batch. The differences are significant and therefore LEDs are measured and delivered to the market in subclasses or groups called bins and this process of segregating LEDs is called binning.

‘So a particular bin may contain LEDs, which emit light within a range of wavelengths, range of flux values and also the range of forward voltage that can be applied safely to the LEDs. For instance a bin might only contain LEDs having Max - Min dominant wavelength in the range of 587 - 584.5 nm (i.e. a range of 2.5 nm, thereby guaranteeing colour consistency) and LEDs emitting flux in the range of 6.3 - 8.2 lm (thereby ensuring that LEDs in the bin have similar brightness) and the same LEDs must have their forward voltage in the range of 2.31 - 2.55 volts (thereby ensuring that when LEDs from the same bin are electrically connected the applied voltage will not destroy any LEDs)’.

Binning is essential for the ultimate success of most LED applications, so a lot of work is going into improving consistency - and this is happening. ►

OLEDs future applications will also include car dashboard displays, ‘billboard’ displays, and certain types of flexible lighting systems for homes, retail and offices.“



LEDs also have the potential to ease

pain, revolutionise agriculture, reduce

traffic accidents and improve urban safety. “

OLEDs – any progress?

Organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology is still very much in the development phase, and progress is indeed being made. Even so, it is now generally recognised that even longer term, OLEDs are likely to find only niche applications, such as for small screen devices (smartphones, tablets, computers and some instruments), but future applications will also likely include car dashboard displays, ‘billboard’ displays, and certain types of flexible lighting systems for homes, retail and offices. OLEDs are currently thought unlikely to compete with LEDs (or traditional types) for most general lighting applications.

Lighting and LED standards

The development of suitable standards and testing benchmarks is also crucial. This is continuing, and examples include IEC 62031, IEC 62612, IEC/PAS 62722 and IEC/PAS 62717 and Zhaga. Then there is the LENI methodology, which promotes the intuitive use of lighting controls and best practice to minimise energy consumption.

Then too there are environmental standards for lighting, such as Part L1a of the Building Regulations (referring to dwellings), which has been in force for some years. This is a set of requirements that, among other things, will greatly increase the use of low energy lighting. It is noteworthy that intelligence suggests that many in the building sector – some say over 50% - claim to have no knowledge of Part L1a requirements. Such findings raise serious concerns.

Lighting becomes part of the IoT

And then there’s the ‘IoT. The fast expanding IoT is the buzzword of the

moment and there’s no denying the excitement it is causing.

With the IoT, just about everything can be IP - or otherwise wirelessly-connected and is being so. For example, your lighting can ‘talk’ with other devices and systems and to your smart phones and tablets. Yet some in the lighting industry believe that the future is no longer merely in manufacturing LEDs to provide light; because of the almost limitless possibilities offered by intelligent lighting control and the IoT – together with LEDs, which are of course digital devices – the future instead will be much more environmental and all-encompassing.

Examples include circadian lighting (already here), which – for example – can control the amount of blue light throughout the day, from a stimulating ‘biological light’ to a restful ‘biological darkness’, or permanent digital ‘skylights’ that change in color and intensity as the day progresses. Others include LEDs to improve your health in other ways, such as better sleep. And LED lighting now also has a fast-growing market in the healthcare sector for similar reasons.

LEDs additionally have the potential to ease pain, revolutionise agriculture, reduce traffic accidents and improve urban safety. After all, the clever use of lighting (and not just LED) to boost retail sales has been used in retail outlets and supermarkets for years.

This sort of thing is important for electrical contractors and installers too, because when an LED lasts 15 to 20 years or more, who is going to change them often? It will be more important to be able to work with LED lighting’s connections to the IoT. ■

“20 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016

LIGHTING IS A VITAL ASPECT OF OUR EXISTENCE. NANOTECHNOLOGY IS ACCELERATING THE PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES SHAPING OUR WORLD AND LIGHTING.

NANOTECHNOLOGYLEDsReinventing

with

Today,we can build transistors that function by manipulation of individual electrons. Lighting is no exception.

Green lighting can blind you

CFL (compact fluorescent light) and LED or light emitting diode lights are just two of the most common examples of green lighting sources. Despite that, as new ground is covered in science and technology improves, the use of nanotechnology to increase the efficiency of LED lighting has started to look more of a realistic proposition.

Currently, LED is efficiently replacing traditional lamps and conventional fixtures in external and internal areas. Why? Because LED lighting uses only a small percentage of energy as required by regular bulbs and they don’t contain any toxic metals ( e.g.. mercury) which are used in CFL bulbs. Consequently this makes LED lights more efficient, green, durable, and long lasting.

The standard bulb, for example, only has ten thousand hours of life span. This value was expanded in fluorescent lamps and LED but, on the other hand, these technologies generate a very artificial light, so white that it surpasses what the human eye is naturally prepared for.

That’s why, for example, the LED headlamp of a car can completely obscure the driver’s vision. But nanopower could be the answer.

Technology is evolving at an amazing speed. Every day there are new scientific discoveries, new equipment, new developments in engineering, computer science, medicine, biomedicine, and yes, lighting too.

Lighting is a vital aspect of our existence. However the world is fast running out of natural sources of energy including fossil fuels, meaning the need to find green and efficient lighting sources has become even more important.

Nanotechnology may be a new word to many of us but this technology has accelerated the pace of technological advances, shaping our world. It has also contributed greatly to our electrical industry and now promises to start a new era in lighting.

Nanowhat?

Invented in 1947 - just over 60 years ago - nanoscience or nanotechnology is the study and application of extraordinarily small things and can be used across all the other scientific spheres such as physics, engineering, biology and chemistry.

Advances in this field have allowed a huge boost in the development of electronics, IT and telecommunications, and have created all the equipment that we use on a day-to-day basis: plasma TVs, digital cameras, smartphones, GPS’s, DVD players and recorders, computers, laptops, tablets, and many other gadgets.

The use of nanotechnology is defined as the ability to see and, to manipulate individual molecules and atoms. On Earth, everything is made up of atoms — the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the buildings we live and work in, and even our own bodies. So can you see the potential?

The essence of nanotechnology is the ability to create structures with new molecular organisation.


LIGHTING IS A VITAL ASPECT OF OUR EXISTENCE. NANOTECHNOLOGY IS ACCELERATING THE PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES SHAPING OUR WORLD AND LIGHTING.

NANOTECHNOLOGYLEDsReinventing

with

Nanotech LED Lighting

New nanotechnological advances can change the rules of how we

manipulate light. We can use this to make the latest devices having an unprecedented

performance level.

Passing electrons through nano-semiconductors, also known as ‘quantum dots,’ emits light which has

many applications in fields including solar heating and lighting. Therefore there is a huge focus in researching

the use of different nanotechnologies to develop more energy efficient LEDs.

Companies like Nanosys are using semiconductors of remote phosphorous to develop LEDs that turn blue

light into a warmer shade of white that is similar to the currently used traditional white of fluorescent bulbs. The

phosphorous used in this experiment is created from ‘nano-materials.’

Since human eyes are hyper-sensitive to the colour green, the LEDs have an increased level of green

that give us a false sense of brightness, without actually heightening the brightness level of

the display itself.

This helps create an excellent picture quality, but uses only very little energy, making it the primary method to be employed in devices that have display panels.

This is encouraging news for those following the use of nanotechnology in various fields. With this endeavour, Nanosys believes that it will be able to design LEDs in just about any colour, which will be a huge leap forward from the current LED displays (as well as in other electronic devices that emit stronger hues).

While the company has created many experimental LED lamps, these LED quantum dots will firstly be used for notebook displays and TV to offer consumers a wider range of colours. However, a larger range of colours will lead to inferior battery life, especially in case of laptops and other devices etc.

The day when nanocrystals can be ‘painted’ on flat surfaces and create paper-thin displays is not too far from now. We’ll be able to use LED to paint our walls and use any colour of our choice, rather than actual paint. Yes, truly with use nanotech, life is only going to be more exciting and, dare we say it, vibrantly colourful! ■



Philips Hue integrates

with Apple Watch


personalised lighting

experiences

Royal Philips has announced that its LED-powered coloured ‘Hue’ lighting system that features personalised control via a smartphone or tablet app, can now be controlled through the new Apple Watch:

Easy and intuitive to use, Philips Hue can now be instantly accessed and controlled by a device you wear all day every day, making certain that light personal to you is always at hand.

“We know that light is at the heart of the digital home,” said Eric Rondolat, CEO at Philips Lighting. “With Apple Watch you can instantly adapt Philips Hue lighting to suit every moment and occasion. Together we are making personalised lighting simpler and more accessible through the convenience of Apple Watch.”

Apple Watch uses the widgets from the Philips Hue app to control the lights in the home and activate the occupants’ favourite light scenes, ensuring that they have the light that they want wherever and whenever they are in the house or other building.

If a homeowner or a building occupant has ‘Geofencing’ activated on his/her iPhone, a

notification on the Apple Watch will inform the wearer that the lights are on as he or she arrives home, so there’s no longer any need to look for the switch in the dark.

Also through Apple Watch, precise personalisation of the lighting is possible within the same room. Whether preparing dinner, working or reading a book, new lighting zones can be created using Philips Hue and Apple Watch.

As a part of what Philips calls ‘a seamless ecosystem’ covering bulbs, lamps and controls, as well as integration with the Apple HomeKit, Hue offers new lighting experiences that are personal.

From functional white light recipes that help people to relax or concentrate, to creating their own light scenes using a favourite photo, to syncing their lights to their TV via one of over 230 third-party apps – with Hue, the possibilities are limited really only by imagination. It’s all part of the rapidly developing Internet of Things.

The Philips Hue starter kit, comprising three Hue bulbs and a bridge, will get those interested going. ■


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Although LED light source development is continuing strongly, we’ve become used to these amazing devices. Indeed, it can be argued that they’ve become virtually commodity items. So where are the obvious developments? And where is LED lighting going?

LEDs for white (and indeed coloured) lighting are now becoming almost ubiquitous, being increasingly installed into as many applications as possible that previously used conventional lighting technologies. This is starting to take place even in peoples’ homes.

I, for example, have eight LED downlights installed and an OLED decorative light panel, plus a set of three Philips Hue LED lamps - wirelessly controlled via an app – waiting to be fitted in my home. Many householders are beginning to see the many benefits through greater exposure and better education.

Even so, the first cost of good quality LED lighting is still considerably higher than conventional lighting, so the benefits of LEDs to householders should be emphasised by installers, especially in terms of their total cost of ownership (deriving from a very long life and low energy consumption), which is where the real money will be saved.

Other benefits that need amplifying are the no-flicker instant start-up, the controllability and connectability of some lighting systems as part of the fast growing Internet of Things (IoT), as well as special dimming options and colours for mood changing.

The benefits for professionals – retail outlets, the hospitality industry, public buildings, local government and industry – are also extensive. A low total cost of ownership is again key, but so is the good, highly directional light, the reduced maintenance requirement and toughness (not easy to break), as well as special attributes such as LEDs being ideal for use at very low temperatures.

Another excellent attribute to emphasise is the ability of LED lighting to allow extreme or otherwise highly imaginative lighting products and schemes – delineating bridges and buildings, embedded into building fabrics, highly sculptural luminaires, woven into textiles – it’s really only limited by imagination (and sometimes money). And all of this is here now…it will only grow…

…so, while new LED lighting developments still come thick and fast, the LED light source technology might – whisper it – be becoming almost mature, so what else is coming along?

Latest developments and trends

The question of choice – what to look for, especially as there are an awful lot of very poor quality LEDs on the market.

I know, as I’ve experienced them. I’ve had LED downlighters that (sometimes but not always) flickered continuously and others that failed in less time than the old halogens did. I’ve had to learn too – only buy high quality LED light sources from reputable manufacturers like OSRAM, Philips, Megaman and General Lamps (among others). Only purchase good quality luminaires and fittings that have been designed specifically for LEDs (as they must be for correct operation, efficiency and long life) from firms like Thorn and Scolmore.

Connected LED lighting systems are set to change the future of illumination forever

In terms of the latest LED lighting technologies, these include ever greater functionality and controllability, often via smartphone or tablet apps (examples include OSRAM’s Lightify and Philips’ Hue, which are still generically the ‘connected future of lighting), greater connectability as part of the IoT, integration into building structural elements, fabrics and other substrates, ever more innovative, imaginative and stylish luminaires, plus dimming to warm.

Since for professionals, light angle and intensity of light is far higher in demand than colour temperature, LED lighting designs are starting to reflect this. There is also Chip On Board (COB) technology, which keeps things simple for the installer by reducing the install-time. ■

By James Hunt,voltimum’s Editor


As LEDs become commodity items,

lighting design and control strategies

come to the fore

Regulation 421.1.201 in Amendment 3 to the wiring regulations is not just about non combustible enclosures for consumer units, this new regulation requires non combustible enclosures on similar switchgear assemblies too. “Similar switchgear assemblies” includes switchgear that is used for the same fundamental purpose as consumer units i.e. circuit protection applications within domestic household premises. This is why Wylex have introduced several additions to their Amendment 3 range.

As well as the NM range of consumer units there’s the range of Meter Cabinet Consumer Units (previously known as Skeleton Units) in full non combustible all metal enclosures. These bespoke units are designed for use in high rise, and similar applications where the electricity meter is housed within a cabinet outside the dwelling and the consumer unit is located in the same enclosure in the space above the meter.

In addition there is a brand new range of Domestic Switch Fuse Units in all metal non combustible enclosures.

These products are used wherever large buildings are being converted into several apartments. These are ideally suited for sub main circuit protection applications in 60A 80A & 100A ratings.

To further enhance the fire safety standards that are intended by regulation 421.1.201 Wylex, has introduced a range of accessories including intumescants, flame retardant grommets, non combustible blanks & mains tails glands

All Wylex domestic circuit protection units meet the requirements of the relevant product standards (BS EN 61439) and the latest requirements of BS7671 Wiring Regulations including Amendment 3.

For further information where you can find contact details for your local Wylex Sales Engineer go to www.electrium.co.uk, or follow @ElectriumNews

In a new ‘Internet of Things’ coupled with home automation and Cloud move, Internet giant Amazon Echo has unveiled its latest innovation - support for Philips Hue and other products, such that you can activate

lights and switches using nothing but your voice.


Hot on the heels of the Amazon Echo voice-activated speaker, comes the next stage in the product’s evolution. Now, in addition to its initial music duties, the unit can accept spoken commands to enhance home automation – and one of the products it works with is Philips’ Hue LED lamps. It also now works with Belkin WeMo home automation gadgets, including light switches.

Philips’ Hue is the connected lighting system that can become an integral part of its users’ day-to-day lives, being able to respond to alarms, timers, alerts and moods. Using Hue, householders can even link to data feeds so that these innovative coloured LED lights can tell them – for example - when they receive an important email. And now, using Amazon Echo’s newest incarnation, Hue can now be operated using the voice.

Once Hue and the other devices that work with Amazon Echo are connected to a home’s WiFi system, an easy ‘discover my appliances’ routine automatically matches the devices to that they will communicate together. Then, all that is needed to operate them is to utter suitable phrases.

Amazon Echo is a high quality audio speaker, but it has been designed around the human voice. It’s always on, so all users have to do is ask for information - news, weather, music and more. The system starts working as soon as it detects the ‘wake word’.

The system’s intelligence is in the Cloud, running on Amazon Web Services, so that it continually learns and adds more functionality over time. The more Echo is used, the more it adapts to a user’s speech patterns, vocabulary and personal preferences. Users can switch a

lamp (or lamps) on before rising from bed, turn on the fan or space heater while reading in a favourite chair, or dim the lights from the settee to watch a film – “all without lifting a finger ...or even raising your voice”, says Amazon Echo.

Being Bluetooth-enabled means that the system can stream a user’s chosen music services like Spotify, iTunes, and Pandora from his or her smartphone or tablet.

Moreover, the system continues working when the user is away from home, so - with the free companion app on Fire OS, Android, iOS and desktop browsers - users can easily manage their alarms, music, shopping lists and more. Importantly, the same companion app enables simple set up to the home network.

How it works

The system is simple in essence and in use, yet doubtless complicated in practice. Amazon Echo works via an array of seven microphones under its light ring. These sensors use beam-forming technology to ‘hear’ the user from any direction. With enhanced noise cancellation, the system can hear users ask questions even while music is being played. On-device keyword spotting detects the wake word, when the system lights up and streams audio to the Cloud. There, Amazon Web Services recognises it and responds to users’ requests.

Part of the Internet of Things

Looked at along with the growing numbers of devices it will work with, such as Hue, Echo is also part of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), the fast growing scenario in which objects, animals or people are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a

network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. This can be achieved locally or from around the world.

Amazon Echo, therefore, relies on ubiquitous computing and smart home technologies, so its efficiency ultimately depends on its compatibility with third-party products – such as Philips’ Hue.

Google’s Nest is yet another example of the IoT trend, with its wirelessly-connected thermostats and alarms, Philips Hue, plus LG smart fridges recently added to its ‘Works with Nest’ programme.

The smart devices that are part of the IoT are growing in number fast, and one prediction is that by 2020, there will be at least 50 billion devices connected to the Internet (some say this is very conservative and it’s more likely to be 200 billion).

There are, of course, potentially big implications for electrical contractors and installers; wholesalers too – not least because many of the devices are consumer items designed for retail outlets and are simple for householders to install. However, the market will be so huge that there should also be very real business benefits for the professional electrical sector. We’d like to hear your views on this.

Where’s the catch?

Is there, indeed, a catch? Well, apart from very real concerns about security in a future where everything ‘talks’ to almost every other thing and to people too, there is another issue here as if you want to buy Amazon’s Echo, you’ll need to buy one through eBay. But be prepared to pay extra for the privilege - around £220 on the auction site. ■


!IOTTHREAT

Is the

ato the DALI lighting standard?

The DALI lighting protocol has been around since 1984 and has become widely used as a standard throughout the world. But with the ‘Internet of Things’ now expanding fast, how will DALI fit into the lighting scheme of things?

Smart control of household lighting as part of building automation and the smart home has been a dream and even a sometimes difficult reality for over 50 years, but the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI), accepted as an international standard in 2002, has made things a lot easier. DALI is the now well-known data protocol and transport mechanism that was jointly developed and specified by several manufacturers of lighting equipment, including Philips Lighting. DALI’s common platform enables lighting equipment from different manufacturers to be connected together. The capabilities of DALI lighting controls are ideally suited to commercial buildings - particularly hotels - but an increasing number of large domestic homes have also turned to DALI for lighting control. There are many and varied reasons for DALI’s success, but possibly the most important of these is that it is an ‘open’ protocol that allows for many different vendors to be involved – indeed, its interoperability is huge. So, it might be thought that the future for DALI is rosy – and it certainly should be – but with the onset of the IoT, will DALI’s future be quite so rosy? The IoT and what it means One definition of the IoT is that it is a network of physical objects (or ‘things’), each endowed with electronics, software, sensors and connectivity that will together enable it to achieve greater value and service by exchanging data with the manufacturer, operator and / or other connected devices.

To achieve this, every ‘thing’ - which could be an LED light source or luminaire, or thermostat, for example - must be uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system, yet it must also be able to interoperate within the existing Internet infrastructure. Such devices already exist and are becoming available at an ever-faster rate.

Typically, the IoT covers many protocols, domains and applications, and offers advanced connectivity of devices, systems, and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. These are very important benefits, yet those many protocols and domains can pose tricky compatibility issues. Will the IoT damage DALI? The technology to provide the ‘domestic lighting meets IoT’ solution is even now available, but there are also many practical implementation questions. So, with IoT lighting devices and systems starting to become more widely available, does this pose a threat to DALI?

Some think so. But why? This is because of a number of reasons, but one is that the IoT is likely to result in the lighting industry moving towards having far more proprietary protocols that are not interoperable or have much less interoperability than DALI. With many of the devices (‘things’) being wireless, this doesn’t help either, as there is a plethora of wireless standards (Bluetooth, ZigBee, 6LoWPAN, EnOcean, Z-Wave and many others). There also are many other choices for IoT lighting controls – what hardware platform to use? Will the system be wired controls (still common for industrial and commercial lighting systems)? Or will the customer want a wireless standard? If so, which? This can be a serious issue, although over time some of it is likely to be resolved. Some of the above choices mean that there’s a potential threat to DALI longer term; that’s what many in the industry believe, but others feel that this threat is exaggerated. This is because of DALI’s openness, which is a crucially important benefit, and because DALI also provides excellent failure feedback (for example, providing notification of failed lamps and ballasts, and their positions). Other systems often have a hard time achieving this. DALI is also quite simple to install, which is not always the case with products and systems running on other protocols – even wireless. Another fear is that with the burgeoning IoT, in which mega organisations like Google are fast getting in on the act, it becomes ever more likely that the future of lighting controls will increasingly depend upon people outside the lighting industry who do not understand it. This is a very clear and important worry. But DALI still holds first place Even so, while this implied IoT threat has become an important topic in the lighting sector over recent months, many lighting experts agree that DALI is far from dying and is improving all the time. For example, DALI 2 is a real improvement over DALI 1, but many more improvements will follow, with still better cross-manufacturer functionality. Even so, the general consensus of opinion seems to be that DALI will have to evolve in line with the IoT threat (if it is a threat), if it is to survive as the lighting industry standard further down the line. ■


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SM ARTLIGHTING SYSTEMSI don’t think that since the invention of the fluorescent tube has there been such rapiddevelopment of a lighting product than the LED lamp & its associated control systems!

by Bill WrightHead of Energy Solutions, ECA

Today’s LED lamp is virtually unrecognisable from the tiny indicating lamp that first entered the scene, mounted on circuit boards, and which was used primarily as a condition indicator rather than for illumination. These lights consumed a fraction of a watt and had a reputation as a high speed fuse if you connected them incorrectly!

The latest developments use LEDs as high power flood and spot lights, where the lamps are rated in tens of watts. Today, the price and performance of LED luminaires is such that it finally begs the question ‘why anyone would still choose an incandescent lamp for illumination’?

Hand in hand with the development of the LED lamp has been the incredible progress with control gear and LED drivers. The early systems had many faults, including high leakage currents and low power factors, but these have all been resolved and the modern control gear allows lamps to do many things that were on recently regarded as impossible!

Think colour changing, dimming, data collection and even the dissemination of information over the web, all of which are becoming increasingly common. All these can be combined with a range of smart technologies, while the low power consumption of an LED also lends it to being powered over a data cable. The first office blocks are now being built with the LED luminaires that are not connected to a 230V power system but instead, DC powered via a data cable.

The luminaires are connected together with a CAT 5 or 6 cable and a RJ 45 plug and socket. Why run a separate mains cable when they will run on ELV DC? The current rating of power over Ethernet cable gives around 100W of available power, which can be enough to light a reasonably sized

office. Electricians will have to learn new skills to keep up with the latest developments, as they may find they need to wire data cables rather than mains voltage cables for lighting systems.

In many cases, equipment can be prefabricated and simply plugged into luminaires, significantly reducing luminaire installation times. This DC distribution could also be extended to other appliances round the office and home. Most PCs and TVs can run on DC inputs, so we may soon see a DC distribution system in offices and homes, with mains power only for those pieces of equipment which require higher power. Standards are currently being considered for DC distribution in buildings.

Modern control gear has also revolutionised the information that can be gleaned from a luminaire. Data on power consumption and hours run can be obtained for an internet connected luminaire with its own ISP.

Many companies are now providing these with their associated web sites where information can be downloaded and analysed. ‘Li Fi’ is also now available, where luminaires are used as local Wi Fi hotspots, and where the LED output is modulated to transmit data. This could be a boon in shops, for example, where special offers could be transmitted to customers close to the luminaire.

The luminaires can also be controlled remotely to provide colour change, and vary switching times and output, all controlled from external wireless controllers such as an iPhone.

With further improvements still likely, such as lower costs, increased capability and reduced power consumption, it’s an exciting industry to be involved in!


Here to help your business.www.eca.co.uk

Kevin Snowdon, Managing Director, NES Electrical

The ECA is more than a badge: it’s a valuable business benefit. ECA members can get free specialist technical advice on design, installation, inspection and maintenance as well as being kept up-to-date on the latest regulations.

ECA Membership includes, but is not limited to:

• The ECA Guarantee of Work to give your customers peace of mind

• Discounted training courses

• Commercial contracts and legal advice on a range of issues a�ecting your business

• Credit rating and debt recovery services

• Advice on employee relations, recruitment, disciplinary matters, employment law and industrial relations

• Reduced rates for BUPA cover, life insurance and pension scheme

• Health and Safety advice on how to reduce risks and comply with legislation

Connect with us | ECAlive

IOT

In the following article, Richard Hayward, lead marketing manager for Legrand’s wiring devices business, addresses smart technology adoption and the effect this is having on our everyday lives – and on smart homes:

Recent UN statistics have shown that there are a staggering 6.8 billion mobile phone subscriptions around the world and just seven billion people. From this alone it is easy to see how our world is better connected than ever before, and that the vast majority of consumers are eager to grasp its potential.

The truth of the matter is, consumers around the world have an insatiable appetite for technology which, thanks to the arrival of new portable tech in recent years such as the smart phone and tablet, has helped to change the way that we live, work, and shop. Now, with an increasing focus on the Internet of Things (IoT), the possibilities for the consumer to connect everything in the home with a whole host of new technologies, and all through smart devices, are endless.

Crucially, the way we interact with technology is changing. Rather than simply inputting a command, technology can be programmed to shape actions based on consumer tastes and experiences over time. If you consider technology in the home today, we can set the heating to come on at a certain time because we have set the timer – the output is directly linked to us doing something.

But, technology has moved on and has the capacity to ‘learn’ so that when you arrive home, the lights come on automatically and the stereo tunes in to your favourite music station - without you having to tell it to. Much more is already possible in terms of automatic control along these lines. Indeed, it’s really only limited by your imagination.

Integration through the IoT

Just as computers record our buying patterns and visits, our homes too can be intelligent and alter and shift in order to enhance our lives. Homeowners are already familiar with technology such as smart phones, tablets and smart TVs, and are increasingly expecting it to be

part of their lives. Therefore, integrating this technology with everyday home processes, through the IoT, is an exciting next step.

Yet, lifestyle and convenience are not the only factors influencing change. A growing requirement for cost savings and efficiencies throughout the market could also be one of the biggest factors in smart technology adoption in coming years, thanks in part to the smart meter rollout.

As such, the way that the UK uses energy in the home is also changing. The smart meter rollout and the introduction of in-house display units will help consumers to visualise how and where we all use energy.

As the country begins to shift away from a centralised energy network, and our homes become both generators and users of electricity, there will gradually be a shift in perception around energy and efficiency. The intelligent home, linked to the smart grid, can adapt to peaks in demand and call for, or divert, energy accordingly in order to relieve stress on the grid during peak times.

It’s important to remember however that while energy efficiency is important, the average consumer doesn’t buy the latest gadget because it is efficient or because it will save them money. It is our desire for new technology, and an appetite for smarter control solutions that will be key to the widespread adoption of home automation - efficiency will therefore come as a secondary benefit.

As technology continues to develop and becomes more integrated with current products and solutions within the market, consumers will begin to understand its true potential in terms of cost savings and convenience.

In truth, smart phones and tablets have opened up a gateway to a more connected world, which has been made possible through the IoT. The next step is two-fold; educating the market in what is possible, and secondly, helping to influence change which we all have a role to play in. As smart home technology develops, now is the time for the electrical industry to make a real stamp on the home market. ■

An insatiable appetite forTechnology


Designed to exceed the new standards

Sustainability means regulation, greater efficiency and clever new technologies


Today, sustainable ‘green’ technologies are becoming ever more important in the drive to reduce CO2 emissions to atmosphere whilst saving energy and money.

Sustainability effectively means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, and in electrical terms, it means sustainable equipment and products that can be fitted and commissioned by electrical contractors and installers into existing buildings or into modern sustainable buildings and related environs.

Such equipment is quite broad, including modern high efficiency heating systems, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic (solar PV) arrays, wind turbines, micro- and mini-CHP units, biomass boilers, fuel cell systems, whole house ventilation and heat recovery systems, ventilation fans having advanced energy saving motors, the latest energy saving lighting systems (including of course LED), as well as smart homes and buildings.

Such technologies can provide large costs savings to home and building owners, as well as helping to reduce those all-important carbon emissions into the atmosphere, and it is here that electrical contractors and installers can often find new business.

A mere six years ago, buildings accounted for about 43% of all the UK’s carbon emissions. This is reducing but so far not by that much. So buildings and other developments can also damage the environment through poor waste management or inefficient use of resources. This is such an arresting figure that both the EC and the UK Government have been trying to improve things with a raft of legislation, regulation and incentives all aimed at reducing the carbon emissions from buildings.

In this article, we look at some very clever technologies – at least one of them genuinely new – that help to reduce the costs of energy usage, part of that cost being the damage that carbon emissions cause, which have their own costs.

The EU’s strict 2020 renewable energy targets for member states are looming, yet countries such as the UK, the Netherlands and France are not currently meeting targets. CXC Global believes that this means business benefits for contractors, here

and in those other countries. Schneider Electric has been participating in the government’s £9.5m initiative to modernise the UK’s energy infrastructure so that it will be able to accommodate millions of homes fitted with solar PV and electric vehicle charging facilities.

The most recent amendments to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations and their accompanying compliance guides are shaping ventilation design in sustainable homes.

Then there’s Dimplex’s new, innovative and simple solution for energy storage. Called Free-E, this works with the homeowner’s solar PV installation to heat the hot water cylinder for free. This clever energy management system diverts surplus energy generated by solar PV installation to the immersion heater in the domestic hot water tank. Crucially, says Dimplex, it opens up a huge market of existing solar PV users to contractors.

Two very interesting techniques concerned with energy saving, energy sharing and sustainability come from Tesla Motors, the electric car manufacturer, and a Dutch-based company, Nerdalize. The former is using its extensive electric car advanced battery expertise to branch out into energy storage.

The company’s rechargeable lithium-ion batteries will power homes and businesses to store solar energy and serve as a back-up system for consumers and businesses during blackouts. Such ‘stationary storage’ techniques will be crucial for the greater take-up of ‘green’ energy sources.The latter, on the other hand, has devised a way to decentralise data server farms to provide free heat into domestic (and other) environments…in essence, this is a data centre spread across many homes and businesses, using their local computers as radiators. Yes, really, and it’s been nicknamed ‘nerd power’!

Take note of the IoT….

Many Smart Electrician readers will now be becoming aware of the fast growing ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). This is a huge topic in its own right and the IoT will have enormous effects on our lives and on businesses. Suffice to say for now, that the IoT has the potential to make even larger energy savings in homes and other buildings, so it is essential to start learning about it now. ■

Sustainable technologies can mean potentially big new business opportunities for electrical contractors and installers!



The latest research by Juniper Research has revealed that the top ranking smart cities globally for 2015 are (first) Barcelona, then New York, followed by London, Nice and Singapore. The secrets for success were the cities’ use of smart grids, intelligent traffic management and smart street lighting. But the Internet of Things will play a major role in the smart cities of the future. While London came an excellent third, it was found that the leader, Barcelona, performed consistently well across all metrics and serves as an exciting model of success from which others can learn. For Barcelona, Juniper Research says that sustainable initiatives were key to the city’s success, while other leading cities, such as New York and London, still require greater emphasis on implementing environmentally positive projects. This is, the report says, ‘despite excelling in areas such as technological capability and a willingness to engage with citizens through open data’. This market research firm’s pioneering research into key vertical markets has been designed to assess the effect of emerging technologies, identifying the latest trends that are rapidly changing the global market. Such research includes the organisation’s ‘Smart Cities’ studies – of which ‘Smart

City Rankings’ is a part – and it provides analysis of the highly important emerging smart city landscape. Such a landscape necessarily includes smart grids, intelligent traffic management, smart street lighting and reduced emissions levels, as well as technological capability and social cohesion, among others. Even the fast-growing ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) is a component. The study also explores how a combination of factors, including increases in urban population and concerns over rising levels of greenhouse gases have driven the desire for greater efficiency in the delivery of resources and process execution. It is from comparisons of all these variables that the list of the top five cities was derived. Global call for smarter grids Another of Juniper’s recent reports, ‘Smart Cities: Strategies, Energy, Emissions & Cost Savings 2014-2019’, has found that smart grid initiatives will achieve nearly £7 billion savings annually by 2019, through a combination of reduced energy consumption and emissions reductions in smart cities. Smart cities, which are being developed now, will be crucially important to control traffic, enable fast data flows and additionally reduce overall energy use. The predicted reduced emissions are

equivalent to those produced by the annual consumption of 130 million barrels of oil. The report found that, despite substantial differences in energy market regulation and policy, there is a strong desire on a global scale to implement a ‘smarter grid’. National energy concerns, caused by emissions reduction policies, transmission line loss and grid reliability, are among the many drivers behind the need to transition to a ‘two-way’ grid, which essentially, is what a so-called ‘smart grid’ is. This study, found that high levels of city traffic congestion, combined with advancements in IoT sensors and software solutions, have driven plans to reduce high traffic levels through a range of smart initiatives. Other key findings are that smart grids will dramatically reduce energy consumption in cities through rapid smart meter deployment and intelligent distribution automation, and that smart street lighting is also expected to produce significant cost savings, aided by the fall in LED fixture costs. Smart networked control systems will further add value. However, issues such as grid cybersecurity and winning over the consumer where smart metering is concerned still need to be addressed, the report states. ■

London voted World’s third‘smartest’ city A new study has placed London third in a table of global

‘smart’ cities 2015, with Barcelona taking the top spot.


THIN

K GR

EEN

air-conditioning

ventilatiom?

In which fast rising demand for air conditioning and refrigeration – rather than merely ventilation - is going to make our world still hotter. A contradiction? Unfortunately no!

The Guardian newspaper recently produced a whole ‘Berliner’ format page devoted to keeping things cool.

On this one page were three lengthy articles about the problems keeping things and people cool – and the even bigger problems that are being caused by this. It’s that vexed issue of man-made climate change again.

As the Guardian says in its opening paragraph: ‘The world faces a looming and potentially calamitous cold crunch, with demand for air conditioning and refrigeration growing so fast that it threatens to smash pledges and targets for global warming’…

…because, of course, keeping things cool with air conditioning and refrigeration takes (paradoxically to some) a great deal of energy – which is heat, mostly derived from fossil fuels. And this in turn means more carbon emissions and more global warming.

Based on projected increases in population, income, and temperatures around the world, Morna Isaac and Detlef van Vuuren of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency predict that in a warming world, the increase in emissions from air-con systems will be faster than the decline in emissions from more efficient heating. As a result, they further predict, the combined greenhouse impact of heating and cooling will begin rising soon after 2020 and then rocket up through the end of the century.

In fact this isn’t at all new. I was writing an article on air-con systems nearly a

decade ago and in researching it, found a then major manufacturer of air-con systems saying, basically, that these were incompatible with fighting climate change!

And you don’t have to be much of an engineer to realise that air-con systems take energy to operate – a lot of it. Just leave your car at idle and turn the air-con on full – the idle speed will immediately fall with the extra energy taken from the engine (at least until the ECU restores the original idle speed). And your fuel economy will be significantly worse driving with the air-con turned on.

It’s frightening - the US apparently already uses as much electricity to keep buildings cool as the whole of Africa uses on everything (yes, really!), and India and China are catching up quickly. Even in relatively cool UK climes, air conditioning and refrigeration have been estimated to account for almost 20% of total electricity use.

Indeed, says the Guardian, the global energy consumption for air-con systems alone is forecast to increase 33 times by 2100.

This is sometimes made worse by poor operating practices – it’s been known, for example (and my brother was witness to this when he worked in Canada) for certain home owners, especially in the days when energy was really cheap, to have their heating AND air-conditioning on at the same time to gain what their owners perceived as exactly the right conditions! Doh!!

It gets worse – air-con and refrigeration result in extra CO2 to atmosphere, but they also use HFCs and other refrigerants that often leak (or are not disposed of properly), and which are typically hundreds or even thousands of times

more potent as ‘greenhouse’ gases than CO2. This is a big worry indeed.

However, what’s it to do with us? We are all intensely threatened by this biggest issue for mankind and our world. If you don’t agree with us, just spend a few honest hours (minutes should do it actually) Googling climate change. You will be shocked.

More directly to the point for Smart Electrician readers, air-con systems (and I repeat, we’re not talking ventilation here, which is relatively benign in energy usage terms, and which can actually save energy in some cases) have a high electrical content – and some are specified and installed, and/or serviced, by Smart Electrician readers.

So it’s relevant to our readers in several ways, not least because really, this is old technology cooling; if we have to have it, then a far more efficient and less dangerous technology is needed. Ideas, anybody? Heat pumps in reverse? Something completely new?

In any case, while we don’t live somewhere really hot like the Middle East in summer, or uncomfortably warm and humid like Mumbai (and we can’t honestly say that the people who live there shouldn’t have air-con), I for one rather like the feel of summer, of winter, hot and cold and all points in between. I like the sun on my face, but I also like the rain on my face. Being aware of the weathers that our world can throw at use is one of the things that makes us human…and too much air-conditioning at the wrong times can spoil that…

…well, that’s what I think. ■

Cooler’s making for hotter…by James Hunt, Voltimum’s Editor


www.voltimum.co.uk

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Find all the product data, brochures news andtechnical advice you need in one place

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The Internet of Things (IoT) revolution is changing the way you work, as an individual, or within an organisation or company. The influx of smart technology into homes and work buildings, such as connected lighting, will also see significant benefits for you as an electrical professional in the future.

IoT is officially one of the world’s biggest ever IT projects. In order to roll out this project, the UK will need electrical engineers who understand smart technology. Are you one of them?

All this new technology means there are lots of new terms and concepts to learn. But don’t worry if you’re not completely up to speed – we’ve collated some of the most important changes to the industry so far. And as the electrical industry is continually changing, we’ll keep it up to date with new terms as they emerge.

Voltimum is THE ultimate Electrical Industry definition guide. It is a free-access, free-content portal that gathers all the latest product data together for you in one easy to use site. It’s so simple you’ll wish you had heard of us years ago!

Voltimum is updated daily with the latest industry news, key manufacturer news, and lots of technical articles covering all aspects of the electrical industry. There is also a section with over 3,500 entries of FAQs in the Q&A area, a product review section, and links to educational webinars. And you get all this essential reading for FREE!

There is a grand total of nearly 36,000 articles currently in our archive. Since February 2015, we’ve had nearly two million page views and 2,456 new registered users. So come and network with any of our 11,200 weekly users and learn from their experience. You can also influence the content of articles, new releases and versions of our Partners’ products and services. Become a Smart Electrician with Voltimum. It’s very simple indeed.

Register for free today on www.voltimum.co.uk and make your life easier. That’s what we call enlightenment. For any query, you can contact us - [email protected]

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smart electrician | issue one 2016

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