The Benefits of DALI-2 and Beyond
In certain lighting control markets, the association between DALI and Helvar are so strong that they are almost synonyms. So, naturally, we are asked by customers almost daily about DALI-2 and what its main benefits are.
DALI-2 is the first dedicated and purpose-built standard for lighting and lighting controls, and we believe it will bring significant benefits to the industry, much as the original DALI did.
Where the original DALI standard brought digital standardisation of lighting between manufacturers, DALI-2 now offers the added standardisation of lighting controls. The main benefit being that both lighting and controls can be on the same standardised network offering a far simpler system design to specifiers and installation process for installers. DALI-2 also standardises the data sets stored in the luminaires, such as energy consumption and operating hours. Thus, this will bring greater energy management abilities and proactive maintenance of buildings for the benefits of tenants and facility managers.
The original DALI standard could at times be interpreted differently between manufacturers leading to compatibility issues in the field. A further benefit DALI-2 brings the mandatory certification testing of products before they can be on the market and bare the DALI-2 logo meaning much improved device-to-device interoperability in the field.
These key benefits ensure that specifying DALI-2 means designers are specifying for a modern and futureproof building. However, it is important to recognise that there are benefits beyond the DALI-2 standard, which manufactures like Helvar add to make up a complete solution. Typically, when new standards are introduced to the market, solutions, features and products from manufacturers take several years to become available and mature around it, this is where Helvar is different from others. Having an expert background in this field of lighting and controls on the same DALI network, we can bring the expertise and maturity of our Imagine solution now into the DALI-2 era. This is achieved by certifying key products of our Imagine solution to DALI-2, as well as adding some new ones. The result being a DALI-2 solution with the added value consisting of Imagine’s unique blend of products, features and benefits on top of the standard.
A simple example of an added benefit beyond the standard is the ability for Helvar Imagine to easily and significantly scale far beyond the standard 16 lighting groups limited by DALI/ DALI-2. The solution can go up to 65,000 groups at a system level and 255 groups at a DALI network level, providing the unique ability to deliver mega-projects on DALI, such as the new Istanbul airport. Further added benefits include Imagine’s ability to integrate and connect to other building systems and data services for intelligent building optimisation and analytics. For wellbeing and comfort benefits, make the best use of DALI tuneable white control by implementing automated circadian rhythms with Helvar’s Light-Over-Time feature.
It is a very exciting time for Helvar and the industry, DALI-2 will change the market for the better and improve in many ways from the past. We love talking about our DALI-2 solutions, and we hope that you continue asking us about them every day!