Motion & Light Sensors: The Simple Way to Save Money

If you've ever replaced a broken lightbulb, you have probably realized just how much of a difference adding light to a space can make. But, with enough increased output, even LEDs at a fraction of the power consumption of fluorescents, halogen, or high-intensity lamps, can quickly add up.

Just like your engine turning off at a stop light, the best way to save money on your lighting is to not use it when you don't need it.

There are plenty of spaces throughout one's home or property that are not in use 100% of the time (or you leave the lights on by accident, like me). Using occupancy sensors is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to improve energy efficiency and combat increasing power draw as you replace old, low-output, or dead lamps with brighter LED units.

Storage rooms, entryways, hallways, utility spaces, and parkades are ideal for motion sensors. 

So: How do you get one?

Some fixtures will have them integrated (some also include day-night sensors, AKA photocells, which are also fantastic), for those that don't, you have choices like the add-on unit in the photo below, which installs to a standard 1/2" knockout. Since many commercial and industrial fixtures include these knockouts, this means that the majority of old fixtures can be retrofitted to include motion sensing.

When it comes to photocells, exterior fixtures and lighting circuits are ideal.

That being said, some spaces are not approved for fully-off motion sensing for safety and code reasons. In these situations, light fixtures compatible with motion-sensing dimmers, where the fixture lowers it's power draw and light output when no motion is detected, are the preferred choice. They will be more expensive, but will give you the benefit of bright light when you need it, and power savings when you don't.

It's a common misnomer that there will always be energy savings with LED installations. While LED power draw is typically a fraction of the lamps they replace, adding more powerful lighting to a space with previously low-output lamps can increase energy usage, especially with always-on systems.

Having options like motion sensing, photocells, and other sensor-based systems allows us to adapt to the needs of the world today. And with electric vehicle charging becoming a point of conversation in homes and properties (a whole other topic on it's own), it will soon become very important to control and reduce our energy usage.