WRITTEN BY PAULA RISTOJA

Paula Ristoja is the Head of Luminaire Manufacturer Channel at Helvar Lighting Controls, developing common business with chosen Luminaire Manufacturers with a special focus on the Helvar wireless offering. Paula has almost 30 years of experience in the international lighting business.

The lighting industry is transforming — light sources have changed, and lighting control is increasing all the time. Investing in good lighting is investing in the environment, with an energy-saving potential of up to 85% when old lighting is upgraded to a sustainable solution.

Luminaire manufacturers are becoming bigger influencers in lighting renovation projects

Lighting control has been around for a long time. Now that wireless solutions are an increasingly important method of control, the influence of a luminaire manufacturer in the choice of control method is increasing.
Wireless control is natural and easy to place in luminaires. When controls are transferred to the luminaires, the luminaire manufacturer gets an opportunity to take on a more significant part of the lighting project and earn more money.

 

Rapid lighting renovation

Selling wireless lighting is different from selling controllable wired luminaires. The luminaire manufacturer can be the expert from whom a functional solution for the project is sought. In lighting renovation projects, large savings are achieved when the wireless solution does not require new wiring, and the luminaires can be replaced with new ones.
In the best scenario, the introduction of wireless lighting is so effortless that the entire office lighting system is refurbished over the course of a single working day. The only thing you will notice is the improved quality of light and that you feel better under good lighting. An excellent example is YIT’s office lighting renovation, which was achieved with Helvar’s ActiveAhead solution.
Right now, many companies are wondering how to get their staff back into the office and upgrading the lighting is one very compelling and visible answer. The best way to learn about wireless lighting is by using it. In-house demo installation and learning the functionalities make it easier to advise partners and end customers. At Helvar, we can clearly see how those luminaire manufacturers who invest in lighting control expertise and concretise wireless control benefits for their customers are the most successful.
In any case, the sales team needs to establish the end customer’s genuine need and recommend lighting accordingly. Wireless lighting is becoming more common at a different speed in different operating environments. There are, of course, spaces for which either wired or wireless lighting control is a better option. The beauty with Helvar is that one doesn’t need to choose; one can have it all – both wireless and wired solutions, along with our cloud-based suite of digital services that helps maximise efficiency.

 

The need for lighting renovation

Control modes are evolving, and at the same time, previously dominant light sources are becoming prohibited. For example, from 24th August 2023, both T5 and T8- fluorescent tubes will be phased out [1] [2]. This is a crucial tip and perfect opportunity for lighting renovation projects, with 1/3 of light sources sold in the EU still being fluorescent.
The dark evenings provide visibility on where lighting renovation potential is needed — the LED era is not everywhere yet. Several offices in the environment could quickly become much more attractive workplaces just by updating the lighting. Now is an excellent time to upgrade your office lighting with many potential deals available for luminaire manufacturers.