ᐅ How to Achieve Lighting Atmosphere and Lighting Scenes in a New Build?
Created on: 8 Jan 2023 18:28
M
Marc240Hello, we are planning a new build and would like to have a smart lighting control system. Our idea is to have spotlights and additional light sources distributed throughout the house. I will describe an example based on the kitchen/dining area to explain what we have in mind:
Spotlights distributed in the kitchen and dining area, plus a pendant light over the dining table. Indirect lighting (e.g., kitchen plinth lighting), along with other light sources such as table or floor lamps.
All lights should be individually switchable (on/off) and dimmable (bright/dim), with adjustable color temperature (cool/warm white). It should be possible to set and save multiple lighting scenes, for example:
Cooking scene: all kitchen lights bright with cool white
Cozy dining scene: dimmed kitchen lights, pendant light warm white and dimmable up to bright, indirect lighting warm white and bright
+ additional lighting scenes
The whole system should be controllable via a switch (including scene selection) and through voice control or an app. Even in the event of a system failure (wireless), it should still be possible to turn the lights on using the switch.
Which system do you recommend for implementing this?
What costs can we expect?
Spotlights distributed in the kitchen and dining area, plus a pendant light over the dining table. Indirect lighting (e.g., kitchen plinth lighting), along with other light sources such as table or floor lamps.
All lights should be individually switchable (on/off) and dimmable (bright/dim), with adjustable color temperature (cool/warm white). It should be possible to set and save multiple lighting scenes, for example:
Cooking scene: all kitchen lights bright with cool white
Cozy dining scene: dimmed kitchen lights, pendant light warm white and dimmable up to bright, indirect lighting warm white and bright
+ additional lighting scenes
The whole system should be controllable via a switch (including scene selection) and through voice control or an app. Even in the event of a system failure (wireless), it should still be possible to turn the lights on using the switch.
Which system do you recommend for implementing this?
What costs can we expect?
First of all, your project has nothing to do with “smart” technology.
Also, do not mix light colors. If anything, use tunable white lamps that allow you to change the color along with the brightness.
There are many options available. How much does a car or a house cost...?
DALI, KNX, up to Hue, and so on.
Also, do not mix light colors. If anything, use tunable white lamps that allow you to change the color along with the brightness.
There are many options available. How much does a car or a house cost...?
DALI, KNX, up to Hue, and so on.
ateliersiegel9 Jan 2023 19:19A bit disappointing for a forum when such a broad, dismissive answer is given to a detailed question. 🙄
I am not an expert in electrical work, but I wish you success with your "experiments" and hope you get some enlightening answers.
I am not an expert in electrical work, but I wish you success with your "experiments" and hope you get some enlightening answers.
A
Allthewayup9 Jan 2023 20:32How all of this is supposed to be implemented wirelessly is beyond my knowledge. We planned a similar lighting concept, but not as extensively controlled and without RGB. We solved it using KNX from Gira, with an S1 device (allowing integration of voice assistants) and an X1 (visualization server for smartphone applications). This setup also allows programming scenes, etc. Dimmer actuators are used to dim the lights, and Primo recessed housings are installed in the precast concrete ceilings for the spotlights. There are 12 spotlights in the kitchen and 7 more in the living/dining area as ambient lighting. The dining room and living room lamps are ceiling fixtures that can be switched on for sufficient lighting when needed and are also dimmable. Floor lamps are controlled separately via switching actuators in the sockets.
In case of a system failure, neither the smartphone nor the physical switches (MDT smart 2 with 6-button assignment) work. You have to accept that risk. I have not encountered a redundant system in a private setting yet.
We do not have baseboard lighting in the kitchen, as it was a bit “too much” for us, but it could also be integrated into the BUS system.
The cost of these “extras” in our living/kitchen/dining area (roughly estimated) was around €8,000 (KNX costs are only partially included, since it is also required for the rest of the house).
In case of a system failure, neither the smartphone nor the physical switches (MDT smart 2 with 6-button assignment) work. You have to accept that risk. I have not encountered a redundant system in a private setting yet.
We do not have baseboard lighting in the kitchen, as it was a bit “too much” for us, but it could also be integrated into the BUS system.
The cost of these “extras” in our living/kitchen/dining area (roughly estimated) was around €8,000 (KNX costs are only partially included, since it is also required for the rest of the house).
This is possible with systems like KNX or Loxone, but it is advisable to consult a professional partner to determine what makes sense and what doesn’t.
These systems really only make sense when you also control shading and heating. The question is what the budget allows, as the installation can easily cost twice as much as conventional electrical wiring.
Alternatively, you can use systems like HUE, but whether that can really be called smart… well.
These systems really only make sense when you also control shading and heating. The question is what the budget allows, as the installation can easily cost twice as much as conventional electrical wiring.
Alternatively, you can use systems like HUE, but whether that can really be called smart… well.
Maybe you could describe whether and to what extent other features in the house should be (semi-)automated or remotely controllable?
And beware: Smart home discussions often take on almost religious proportions ;-)
The effort required just for lighting is relatively high. The computers or control units needed for this can do much more...
If you dive deeply into the topic, your desired functions can be realized with significantly less than an $8,000 budget (using open-source software like OpenHAB with MQTT broker or similar, and hardware such as Arduinos and Raspberry Pi). BUT: this is a long process until everything works properly, and such a system also needs maintenance (software and firmware updates). If you build the system with industrial components, it’s still considerably less than $8,000, but still a lot of work. If you outsource the installation, the total financial effort in my opinion probably does not differ significantly between systems like KNX, Loxone, open-source solutions, or similar.
What is your maximum budget? Maybe the answer to whether this is feasible becomes clear right away.
And beware: Smart home discussions often take on almost religious proportions ;-)
The effort required just for lighting is relatively high. The computers or control units needed for this can do much more...
If you dive deeply into the topic, your desired functions can be realized with significantly less than an $8,000 budget (using open-source software like OpenHAB with MQTT broker or similar, and hardware such as Arduinos and Raspberry Pi). BUT: this is a long process until everything works properly, and such a system also needs maintenance (software and firmware updates). If you build the system with industrial components, it’s still considerably less than $8,000, but still a lot of work. If you outsource the installation, the total financial effort in my opinion probably does not differ significantly between systems like KNX, Loxone, open-source solutions, or similar.
What is your maximum budget? Maybe the answer to whether this is feasible becomes clear right away.