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2016 IS
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Smart Electrician Th e I nt e rn e t of Thing s fo r E l e ctrician s
Edition 2
Here we go again... this time with smart lighting!
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.
Smart Electrician Th e I nt e r n e t of Thing s fo r E l e ctr icia n s
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’, was mainly about the almost exponentially expanding
Internet of Things.
This edition is much more about smart and/or connected lighting.
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.
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.
Home automation technology has been available for many years but
demand for systems 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.
Forecasts indicate that the pace of growth will increase
over the next five years as the 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.
Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
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
LED lighting can now send promotional messages to shopper’s mobile devices
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. ■
Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
SMART HOME
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 001 | 2016
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.
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 ►
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 15
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.
key industry figures predict that
IT companies may take a significant
share of the wireless lighting
controls market in the future
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.
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. ■
16 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
The
LED revolution it’s digital & limited only by
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.
18 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
“
Why is this LED revolution taking
place? It’s for many reasons. One
output, colour quality and lighting
system performance, and reducing
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
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.
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 19
20 Smart Electrician ISSUE 02 | 2016
“
OLEDs – any progress?
Organic light emitting diode (OLED)
technology is still very much in the
development phase, and progress is
moment and there’s no denying the
excitement it is causing.
With the IoT, just about everything
can be IP - or otherwise wirelessly-
LEDs also have the
potential to ease
pain, revolutionise
agriculture, reduce
traffic accidents and
improve urban safety.
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
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
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.
22 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
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.
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! ■
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 23
2016 | ISSUE 02 Smart Electrician 24
Philips Hue integrates with Apple Watch to instantly deliver 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. ■
24 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
As LEDs become commodity items,
lighting design and control strategies
come to the fore
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
26 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
28 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
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. ■
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 29
30 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
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. ■
32 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
SM ART LIGHTING SYSTEMS
I don’t think that since the invention of the fluorescent tube has there been such rapid development of a lighting product than the LED lamp & its associated control systems!
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 by Bill Wright involved in! Head of Energy Solutions, ECA
34 Smart Electrician ISSUE 01 | 2016
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 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. ■
Sustainable technologies can mean potentially big new business opportunities for electrical contractors and installers!
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.
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.
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.
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 37
‘smartest’ city
Barcelona voted World’s
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. ■
2016 | ISSUE 01 Smart Electrician 39