Out-smart burglars with Smart lighting

March 20, 2012 - PRLog -- As we all prepare for the upcoming events of 2012, including the London Olympics, Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and any well-deserved breaks abroad, it is worth asking will my empty house be safe whilst I am away or easy prey.

Considering every 37 seconds a home somewhere in Britain is burgled, we think it’s high time that homeowners receive more than just the same old advice. Instead, we recommend our Smart lighting systems, which not only safeguard your home and decrease your lighting bills, but also add some great features to your property.

With the recent dramatic rise in reported burglaries and attempted burglaries in North London we believe Smart lighting systems might hold the answer to this ever-unchanging problem. As the majority of burglaries occur when a property is empty, maybe the best deterrent is to convince people that you are actually in the house.

Our Smart lighting systems can do exactly that by utilising the latest Smart lighting driver from Crestron. These drivers (effectively a mini computer) electronically control all aspect of your homes lighting, from when lights switch on or off to how bright the lights are once switched on. What’s more, because the Crestron system is connected to the internet your lighting system can be controlled remotely form the office or even a beach in Barbados!

Our Smart lighting systems can be programmed to switch lights on or off to mimic your actual movements around the property, and can be varied so that each day the timings and sequence of lighting changes are different. For example at 8pm on a Tuesday the lights to the hall, then landing, then back bedroom go on to make it look as though someone is moving through the house. The system is also connected to the astrological clock and will therefore automatically make adjustments for changes in sunrise and sunset times. The possibilities are literally endless, and that’s why we call it “Smart” lighting.

This is a much better deterrent to the usual timed switches that turn a single light on or off, which to the determined burglar is an obvious ploy. Remember the scene from ‘Home Alone’ when the burglars wait on the street as they predict when the lights turn on and off in each house. As fictional as this example might be, experienced burglars are likely to be aware of single timed switches as they tend to study the houses before they make their move.

Another benefit of this system is that it can save you at least 20% on your yearly lighting bill, as lights can be set to turn on at only 80% brightness, this reduction in brightness is virtually indistinguishable to the naked eye but saves you at least 20%.

One of the issues with Smart Lighting systems is the cost of installation; however our technicians have worked on techniques to fit these systems in a more cost effective way. There are 2 main costs involved in this type of installation, 1) the infrastructure (cables) which accounts for around 30% of overall costs, and 2) the equipment (drivers and controls) which accounts for around 70% of the cost. Up until now clients have had to do both parts of the installation at the same time, but our technicians have developed a new installation technique that means we are able to install your infrastructure so that it works with a conventional circuit board/fuse box. This allows the customer to upgrade their system at their own pace and budget, making this type of system much more affordable.

The Crestron driver can even be used to control your heating system, and audio visuals systems, it can even be used to open and shut blinds and windows. Call our SmartHomes team now or email Smarthomes@illustrioushomes.co.uk for more information.

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Illustrious Homes is one of the UK’s leading construction companies and works in both the public and domestic arenas.