Smart technology

Sylvania looks at why intelligent lighting is a good fit for logistics and industry

It’s not so long ago that smartphones were the exception rather than the rule. So if, when it comes to smart technology and lighting infrastructure, your attitude tends towards ‘it won’t happen anytime soon’, then it could be time to think again. Intelligent lighting systems are an integral part of improving energy efficiency performance in buildings. It is happening now and if you’re not aware of it, then it could be your competitors are.

Smart technology and lighting infrastructure make a good marriage for a number of reasons. First, lighting is everywhere. Unless it’s a 100% automated robotic-reliant workspace, then it’s likely that lighting is present in all areas of the business’s operations. As well as being installed everywhere, it connects everything and has a ready-to-use power source. So, if you’ve got connected lighting, then you’ve got the potential to benefit from smart technology and to harness your lighting infrastructure to deliver improved business data and efficiency.

Tangible benefits come from literally everywhere. Intelligent lighting control systems allow each individual luminaire to be enabled with occupancy and daylight sensing to improve efficiency while also reducing maintenance. This level of control combined with fully configurable sensors can deliver huge savings, of up to 90% energy reduction in some cases. What’s important is exploring the potential benefits smart systems can have on your current operations, and finding a scalable solution that meets your needs now and into the future.

Taking smart a step further, there are exciting developments in the area of data capture and occupancy analytics, mainly using add-on technology to existing lighting infrastructure. These are particularly relevant to the warehousing and logistics sector with data collected through the lighting systems and then analysed to provide business information that has a direct benefit to on-the-ground operations. In practical terms for the warehousing sector this could help companies understand which parts of a unit are used more often and to then reposition products accordingly, optimising pick-rate and minimising travel time within the warehouse. We can expect more and more smart technology applications of this type to emerge, as the Internet of Things creates new possibilities.

Better automation combined with improved connectivity is already delivering tangible efficiency benefits. We all expect to access work-related material on our mobiles and the same is true for facilities managers. Services such as mobile-enabled remote monitoring provide live, accessible system status making it easy for managers to keep track of estate-wide facility functioning. These instant diagnostics mean problems can be identified and dealt with swiftly, minimising costly and potentially business critical interruptions.

It’s impossible to ignore the advance of smart. Whether it’s occupancy analytics or asset tracking, smart lighting is part of this evolution, and being part of it makes sense.

Find out more about smarter lighting capabilities in our ‘What’s Hanging over Your Head’ eBook