Welcome to Our Smart Home Technology Blog

In previous blogs, we’ve discussed how lighting automation can save a significant sum each month, especially when you incorporate some low-voltage wiring and occupancy sensors. For example, today’s shift to LED lighting has slashed energy costs nearly in half.

This month, we’ll focus more on employees and how lighting ties into their job satisfaction and performance. When surveyed by the American Society of Interior Design, most employees voiced dissatisfaction with their office’s lighting. Corporate lighting is often static and fluorescent, but there is an alternative. We’ve found that human-centric lighting, like the Lutron solutions we’ll describe here, improves morale and productivity, assets which can, in turn, affect your Dallas, TX, business’s bottom line. Keep reading to learn how lighting could provide a health benefit to your staff.

SEE ALSO: How Lighting Control Makes Your Conference Room Smarter

Lighting, With People in Mind

Human bodies crave varying lighting brightness and tone during different times of day, corresponding to the sun’s rise and fall. The problem? We spend about 90% of our days inside. As a result, we’re shut off from the illumination that we need to power through our tasks throughout the day, sleep well at night; then wake up and repeat. How can you break the vicious cycle and get your employees’ health back on track?

Why Timing Matters

Often, employees talk about office lighting in terms of feeling “unnatural,” even if they’re not sure why. Corporate lighting’s tone and brilliance usually doesn’t correspond to the time of day. Your staff might notice these affects as mood problems at first, including irritability and sluggishness.

The US Department of Energy estimates that by the year 2030, LED lights could save up to $15 billion in energy costs across the country. In other words, if you haven't upgraded your commercial lighting system with LED fixtures yet, your business is probably wasting money. So why wouldn't you want to lower energy costs in your Frisco, TX business by giving your system an updated boost? In this blog, we'll show you how smart building technology, lighting control, and low-voltage fixtures efficiently reduce energy costs. Keep reading for more.

SEE ALSO: How Lighting Control Makes Your Conference Room Smarter

Save up to 60% with Smart Lighting

Integrated lighting control is an easy way to start saving money immediately. According to Lutron, an automated system can save up to 60 percent of the energy used in a non-automated or manual system. In fact, depending on your lighting strategy, you may even save in other areas, like HVAC cooling.

With an integrated lighting control system, you can schedule lights to adjust their levels based on the time of day and peak operating hours. Strategic scheduling can save up to 20 percent on lighting usage alone.

Occupancy sensors minimize the need to turn lights on and off throughout the day. When users enter or leave a room, the system will automatically respond. Efficient sensors can save up to 60 percent of a room’s lighting usage.

If you’ve been in the business world for a while, we’re sure you’ve experienced the wonders of video conferencing firsthand. Remote employees depend on it for a connection to in-office teams, and clients and prospects rely on webcams when doing business with you.

Are you using the platform and technology that fulfills your attendees’ various needs? In this article, we’ll explore some key differentiators between two of the most popular systems, Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Plus, we’ll show you how you can take full advantage of Crestron Flex – the next generation of boardroom technology products from the business automation leader. Curious to see what we might recommend for you? Read on to which one you need to start using in your Dallas, TX, office.

SEE ALSO: 3 Commercial Audio-Video Trends That Hospitality Business Owners Should Know

Microsoft Teams

If you’re a devout Microsoft user, we think you’ll enjoy the flawless integration with programs like Outlook that will let you find and share emails and group chats in lightning speed. You can start a discussion, via chat or video, right from the Teams platform, or host a meeting that takes only seconds to create. Users enjoy the platform’s intelligence, which allows them to find resources -- from transcriptions of recorded texts to relevant, searchable chats and files -- to bring to any discussion.

Microsoft Teams is free to download, with partial functionality and no commitments. For a more robust experience, Teams is available as part of Office 365 Business Premium for $12.50 per user, per month, or Office 365 Enterprise E3 for $20 per user, per month, which unlocks the full range of features.

Have you been considering a whole-house audio installation for your Frisco, TX, home? Maybe you’ve worked with us before for a single-room setup, or you are starting anew with a fresh construction that you want to enhance with a robust, wired installation.

We’ll show you why DeVance Electronic Lifestyle serves as your premier resource for all things audio, and we’ll show you why you should trust us for every sonic experience.

SEE ALSO: 3 Creative Ways to Use Your New Audio Distribution System

A Brief Day in the Life with Whole House Audio

Have you ever imagined how life would be different if you could wander through your house and experience high-quality audio in every room? We’re about to give you a brief tour of a perfect day after your DeVance whole-home audio installation, so keep reading.

It’s 9 a.m. on a Saturday, and you’re just waking up. Your bedroom speakers play your favorite dance playlist. As you walk down to the kitchen to grab your first cup of coffee, you can keep your energetic music going.