It may just be that builders are beginning to see the value in offering technology packages in new home construction.  And why not?  Residential technology is here to stay.

Jason Knott of CE Pro's website cited a joint study between Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).  The percentage of builders installing energy management systems in new homes has risen 133 percent in two years (from 6 percent to 14 percent of new homes). Moreover, the percentage of builders actually offering energy management grew from just 40 percent in 2009 to 59 percent in 2011.

The percentage of new homes with multiroom audio has also more than doubled, while home automation and lighting control have also doubled.

He writes:

"The long-term trend is that technology is here to stay," says Chris Ely, manager of industry analysis for CEA. "The category of audio has seen a resurgence across the board." It should be noted that the data from the study is not strictly related to new home construction. Ely notes that the average respondent to the study did 46 new residential "projects" in 2011 of either new or remodel single-family homes or MDUs. Meanwhile, that same builder did an average of 34 light commercial or remodeling projects.

Smart builders are doing what others are doing; offering technology packages of different scales to their buyers.  In doing so, they automatically set themselves apart as regional leaders in the construction field.

New technology adds health benefits to lighting control systems

In conversations with our clients about lighting control or smart home technology in Mandeville, LA,, we encounter numerous reasons they're interested in it. Each family has a different priority, whether it's greater comfort, safety or style. Very few ever cite wellness among the top.

But during the past decade, the links between technology and wellness have strengthened. As this link becomes more widespread, we expect to see a lot more health-conscious clients inquiring about lighting control and smart homes in general.

First, it's important to explain precisely how health and home technology go hand-in-hand. The partnership primarily centers around the concept of biophilia, which is all about bringing us closer to natural stimuli even when indoors.

Get the Most Out of Your Home Lighting Control

Though we often take lighting for granted, it only takes a few minutes in a room with bad lighting to realize how important it is. It might be a media room where bright lights cause a glare on the screen or dimmed lighting forces you to strain your eyes while reading. Few pieces of technology affect your day-to-day more than your lighting does.

That’s why you should invest in a lighting control system designed to help you accomplish the following: adapt quickly, think better, do better, and feel better. As you read this blog, you’ll see how our custom solutions help you get the most out of the lighting fixtures in your New Orleans, LA home.

SEE MORE: How Can You Customize Your Home’s Smart Lighting Control?

Lighting Plays a Vital Role in Employee Morale and Efficiency

Designing a successful office space is all about finding every way possible to improve your employees’ efficiency, morale and productivity. Every day there's an innovation promising to revolutionize office design, whether it's an open workspace, standing desks, or fitness centers. It's a focus mostly on real estate rather than the environment that results in missing the obvious. As companies try to think outside the box, they often ignore one vital component: lighting.

During your office design, it's essential to consider what kind of lighting you're providing for your staff. Using inadequate lighting can result in fatigue, discomfort, and overall discontent. A lighting control solution in your Baton Rouge, LA space needs to be able to meet all your employee's needs without resulting in high energy bills.

Solutions that let you efficiently manage artificial and natural light will result in happier, more efficient employees and improved productivity for your business.

SEE MORE: 3 Ways Conference Room AV Makes Meetings More Productive

Enhancing Your Artificial Lighting

According to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy, an improved lighting control system results in less absenteeism, better product quality and less turnover within your company. Having the ability to manage lights through dedicated touchpads, sensors and timers will significantly affect your employee productivity while cutting down on energy bills.

Professional Lighting for New Orleans Homeowners

Lighting is a necessity, and you may not think twice about how and where it functions in your New Orleans, Louisiana home. However, lighting is a big part of the aesthetic in your home. Interior designers often plan and design the lighting first before adding in colors and furnishings. The reason is that the right lighting sets the stage for a beautiful home. You may think that smart home automation is all about control and convenience, but it’s about style too. In this blog, we’ll cover the finer points on how to incorporate lighting control into your interior design.

SEE ALSO: How to Customize Your Home Lighting in Baton Rouge 

Interior Lighting Tips

When you hire Acadian Home Theater & Automation to install your lighting, we go above and beyond to make your home look as beautiful as possible. Our team can strategically place your lights in the right spots to not only illuminate your spaces but also highlight and complement décor.

For example, a chandelier or detailed lighting fixture hanging above your dining room table is not only a piece of art in your home, but it also provides a romantic ambiance for a meal. Dimmers help establish the right ambiance, or mood, by brightening the room for a party, or lowering it for a relaxing night in.

We can also install accent lighting around your art pieces, like sculptures and paintings, to highlight the detail in the artist's work. With our lighting control systems, you can even hit a button on your mobile device to enact specific scenes when the time is right. Having cocktails with work friends? Hit "Entertain" and the accent lighting turns on to highlight your beautiful art collection, the overhead lights dim down to mid-level for a cozy ambiance, and your front porch light stays lit as visitors approach your home. The best benefit of all is that we'll work with you every step of the process to create the right lighting scheme that works best for every room, from home theaters, kitchens, bedrooms, and more.

Different Ways to Access Your Lighting Control System

Lighting control is one of the best features of home automation because it’s convenient, helps you save energy, and makes your Covington, Louisiana home look beautiful. While there are a lot of practical benefits, such as saving money on your utility bills, there’s also the benefit of being able to control your lights different ways. You get to decide how you want to brighten or dim your house. Continue reading to learn more.

SEE ALSO: How to Incorporate Lighting into Your Interior DesignDimmers: Dimmers allow you to raise or lower the lighting to varying degrees, instead of simply turning the lights completely on or off. Years ago, dimmers typically were round knobs on the wall that you would turn to the right or left. However, today we have more sophisticated controls to change lighting levels. Lutron for example, has a new LED lighting strip, called the Grafik T, which brightens as you raise the lights to a high level and darkens as they go down low. The lighting strip comes on with just the touch of your finger. We also have up and down buttons that you press to change the setting.

Keypads: Another way to control your lights is through custom keypads on the wall. These keypads can be tailored to any home automation scene you like. For example, you could list, “All on,” “All off,” “Movie,” Good Morning” and “Goodnight” on the keypad in your kitchen. And, every keypad could be different in every room of your home for different functions. Imagine walking out the door in the morning for work and simply pressing “All off”.  The best part about the keypads is that you never have to guess which switch does what; they are all labeled.

Mobile App: Having control keypads in your home is a must have for quick and easy access while you’re hanging around the house, but mobile apps take your control system a step further and let you access your lighting from any location in the world. With a strong network and a smart home app on your phone, you turn off any light in the house. Download the mobile app on your smartphone, tablet, or even your smart watch to manage the features of your home.

Occupancy Sensors: These sensors allow you to turn on your lights just by walking into an area. Sensors are installed at key points on the walls so as soon as you go into a room, the lights come on. When you leave, they go off. This technology particularly helps you save energy because you don’t have to worry about remembering to turn the light off when to leave the room. Your smart home does it for you.

The Essentials of Lighting Control

Enjoy These Features in Your Lafayette HomeLighting control is one of the most sought-after features in a smart home – mainly because it is so convenient. There are actually many benefits you may not even know about. Installing smart lighting will not only make your home look bright and beautiful, but it can also help your family save energy, money, and increase safety in your Lafayette, LA home. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Save EnergyAccording to Lutron, installing dimmers in your home can you up to 20% on energy. The reason for this is that dimmers allow you to lower your lighting levels so they don’t turn on to full capacity every time to lift a switch. Dimming lights down to at least 30% can dramatically increase your energy savings and affect your electric bill. Lighting uses up the most energy, followed by the heating and cooling system, and then electronics, so this is the biggest area for savings. Another way to save energy with lighting is by adding occupancy sensors. Timers were quite popular at one point, but occupancy sensors work even better by detecting when a person is in the room. As soon as you leave, the lights shut off. Electricity will never be wasted and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

2. Save TimeTime is precious; most of us have busy schedules. We’re always running in and out of the house. You probably spend a fair amount of time running around the house turning off all the lights before you leave, and if you’re in a hurry, the lights stay on and you waste energy. You can save time and energy by using lighting controls that tie all of your lights together. Imagine hitting one button at the front door before you leave in the morning and all of the lights turn off. Not to mention, it’s extremely convenient to be able to hit one button on your phone or wall to light up your home, or get ready for bed.

3. Save Your HomeBelieve it or not, lights can play a part in protecting your home from intruders. Place lights with sensors around the perimeter of your home so they turn on when a person approaches. If a stranger walks up in the middle of the night, you’ll be alerted with the light immediately, and it will likely deter them from continuing. We can also integrate lights with your security system so lights turn on with the alarm if it’s ever triggered in the evening. As a precautionary measure, our team can also create a “mockupancy” setting that turns lights on and off at varying times to make it seem as if a person is home while you are away. Robbers will think twice about entering you home if they think someone is there.