Smart Outdoor Lighting

As outdoor living spaces become more important in our daily lives, it's no surprise that homeowners are investing in smart outdoor lighting solutions to enhance their outdoor areas. Whether you're looking to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere or improve the security of your property, smart outdoor lighting can help you achieve your goals. In this piece, we will explore the benefits of smart outdoor lighting and take a closer look at Philips Hue Outdoor Lights, one of the most popular and versatile options on the market. From illuminating your garden to creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere on your porch, Philips Hue Outdoor Lights offer a range of features that can transform your outdoor living spaces. Read on to discover how smart outdoor lighting can add style, security, and convenience to your outdoor areas.

Why use smart outdoor lighting?

Smart outdoor lighting offers numerous advantages for homeowners who want to enhance the safety, functionality, and aesthetics of their outdoor spaces. Here are some key reasons to consider using smart outdoor lighting:

• Smart outdoor lighting often uses energy-efficient LED bulbs, which consume less energy and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, reducing your energy consumption and saving money on utility bills.
• Smart outdoor lighting allows for greater control and customisation of your lighting setup. You can adjust brightness levels, colours, and create lighting schedules to suit your needs and preferences. This level of control enables you to create the perfect outdoor atmosphere for any occasion.
• With smart outdoor lighting, you can control your lights remotely using a smartphone or tablet, or through voice commands with a compatible smart home assistant. This eliminates the need for manual switches and makes it easy to adjust your lighting from anywhere.
• Smart outdoor lighting can enhance the security of your property by automatically turning on when motion is detected, or by creating schedules that give the impression of someone being at home when you're away. This acts as a deterrent for potential intruders and adds a layer of protection to your home.
• Well-lit outdoor spaces are safer, reducing the risk of accidents and falls due to poor visibility. Smart outdoor lighting allows you to illuminate walkways, stairs, and other potential hazards, ensuring your family and guests can navigate your outdoor areas safely.
• Smart outdoor lighting can be integrated with other smart devices in your home, such as security cameras, doorbells, and smart locks. This creates a cohesive and interconnected smart home ecosystem that works together to enhance the overall functionality and convenience of your living spaces.
• Most smart outdoor lighting solutions are designed for easy installation and maintenance. This simplifies the process of setting up your outdoor lighting, and reduces the time and effort required to keep it in optimal condition.

Smart outdoor lighting offers numerous benefits, including energy efficiency, customisation and control, convenience, security, safety, integration with other smart devices, and easy installation and maintenance. These advantages make smart outdoor lighting an attractive and practical choice for homeowners looking to enhance their outdoor spaces with intelligent and functional lighting solutions.

What materials are smart outdoor lighting made from?

Smart outdoor lighting fixtures are made from various materials to ensure durability, weather resistance, and aesthetic appeal. The choice of materials depends on the specific design and intended application of the lighting fixture. Some common materials used in smart outdoor lighting include:

• Aluminium: Aluminium is a popular choice for smart outdoor lighting fixtures due to its lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and low-maintenance properties. It is often powder-coated or anodised to enhance its durability and provide a range of colour options.
• Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is another popular material for outdoor lighting fixtures, known for its strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion. It is available in various grades, with marine-grade stainless steel being ideal for coastal environments where the fixtures are exposed to saltwater and harsh weather conditions.
• Plastic or Polycarbonate: Some smart outdoor lighting fixtures are made from durable plastic or polycarbonate materials, which are resistant to weathering and UV radiation. These materials are lightweight, low-maintenance, and often more affordable than metal alternatives.
• Glass: Glass is commonly used in smart outdoor lighting fixtures as a diffuser or cover for the light source. It can be clear, frosted, or tinted, depending on the desired lighting effect. Tempered or toughened glass is often used for outdoor applications due to its enhanced durability and resistance to breakage.

When choosing smart outdoor lighting fixtures, it is important to consider the materials used in their construction to ensure they are durable, weather-resistant, and suitable for your specific outdoor environment. Opting for high-quality materials will ensure that your smart outdoor lighting remains functional and attractive for years to come.

What colours are smart outdoor lighting?
 

Smart outdoor lighting fixtures come in a wide range of colours and finishes to suit various preferences and complement different exterior styles. The most popular colours and finishes for smart outdoor lighting fixtures include:

• Black: Black is a functional colour that works well with most exterior styles. It offers a sleek and modern appearance that complements contemporary designs, while also blending seamlessly with more traditional settings.
• White: White outdoor lighting fixtures provide a clean, crisp appearance that can brighten up your outdoor spaces. This colour works well when installed on or near conservatories, or on fascia boards, for an unobtrusive look.
• Grey or Silver: Grey and silver finishes, such as brushed or polished stainless steel or aluminium, offer a modern and sophisticated look. These neutral tones work well with contemporary and minimalist exterior designs, as well as more industrial or urban settings.

In addition to the fixture colours, smart outdoor lighting can also offer a range of colour options for the light itself. With colour-changing LED bulbs or integrated RGB LEDs, you can create customisable lighting scenes that showcase a wide spectrum of colours to suit your preferences, mood, or occasion.

When choosing the colour of your smart outdoor lighting fixtures, consider the overall style and colour scheme of your home's exterior and surrounding landscape. Selecting a colour that complements your home's aesthetic will ensure that your smart outdoor lighting enhances the appearance of your outdoor spaces while providing functional illumination.

Do I need to be concerned about the safety rating for smart outdoor lighting?

Yes, it is essential to consider the safety rating of smart outdoor lighting, particularly the Ingress Protection (IP) rating, which indicates the level of protection the fixture provides against the intrusion of dust, accidental contact, and water. For outdoor lighting, IP44 and IP68 are the two common ratings you may encounter. 

For most residential outdoor applications, IP44-rated fixtures offer adequate protection, while IP68-rated fixtures are necessary for more demanding or exposed locations. Always check the manufacturer's guidelines and specifications to ensure the chosen lighting fixtures are suitable for their intended use and location.

What bulbs are best for smart outdoor lighting?

Integrated LED bulbs are often considered the best choice for smart outdoor lighting due to their numerous benefits in terms of energy efficiency, durability, and performance. Integrated LEDs are different from traditional LED bulbs, as they are built directly into the light fixture and cannot be replaced like a standard bulb. However, with their long lifespan, you won’t need to worry about changing them for a number of years. Other key benefits of integrated LEDs for smart outdoor lighting include:

• Energy efficiency: Integrated LED lights consume significantly less energy than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs. This translates into reduced energy costs and a smaller environmental footprint. Additionally, the energy efficiency of integrated LEDs works well with smart features like scheduling and dimming, further enhancing energy savings.
• Long lifespan: Integrated LEDs have a much longer lifespan than conventional bulbs, often lasting up to 50,000 hours or more. This means you won't need to replace them any time soon, resulting in lower maintenance costs and less waste.
• Durability: Integrated LED lights are more resistant to damage from shock, vibration, and temperature fluctuations. This makes them particularly suitable for outdoor environments where weather conditions can be harsh and variable.
• Improved light quality: Integrated LEDs can produce high-quality, consistent light output with better colour rendering and fewer issues like flickering or colour shift. This results in a more pleasant and uniform lighting experience.
• Instant-on performance: Unlike some energy-saving bulbs like CFLs, integrated LEDs turn on instantly at full brightness, providing immediate illumination when needed.
• Better thermal management: Integrated LED fixtures are designed with heat dissipation in mind, which helps maintain the LED's optimal operating temperature and prolongs its lifespan.
• Compact design: Integrated LED fixtures often have a more streamlined and compact design, allowing for greater flexibility in terms of installation and aesthetics.
• Eco-friendly: Since integrated LEDs consume less energy and have a longer lifespan, they are more environmentally friendly than traditional lighting options. Additionally, they do not contain hazardous materials like mercury, which is found in some other energy-saving bulbs.

When choosing smart outdoor lighting, integrated LED fixtures are an excellent choice due to their energy efficiency, long lifespan, and improved performance. While the upfront cost of integrated LED fixtures might be higher than fixtures with replaceable bulbs, the long-term savings in energy and maintenance costs make them a worthwhile investment.

What other features do smart outdoor lighting have?

Smart outdoor lighting systems have come a long way in recent years and now offer a wide range of features to enhance safety, security, and convenience. Some of these features include:

• Motion sensors: Smart outdoor lights can be equipped with motion sensors that trigger the lights to turn on when they detect movement. This is useful for safety, as well as deterring potential intruders.
• Voice control: Many smart outdoor lights can be controlled using voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri. This makes it easy to turn the lights on or off, change colours, or adjust brightness without needing to use a smartphone or physical switch.
• Mobile app control: Smart outdoor lighting systems often come with a dedicated mobile app that allows users to control the lights remotely, set schedules, and create custom lighting scenes.
• Scheduling: Users can set schedules for their smart outdoor lights, enabling them to automatically turn on and off at specific times, which can be particularly useful for simulating occupancy when away from home.
• Solar-powered options: Some smart outdoor lights have solar panels, which makes them energy-efficient and eco-friendly. These lights store energy from the sun during the day and automatically turn on at night.
• Colour changing: Many smart outdoor lights can change colour, allowing users to create custom lighting scenes for various occasions or to simply set the mood.
• Weather resistance: Smart outdoor lights are typically designed to be weather-resistant, protecting them from rain, snow, and other elements.
• Integration with smart home systems: Smart outdoor lighting can be integrated with other smart home devices, such as security cameras, doorbells, or smart locks, to create a more connected and automated home environment.
• Adaptive brightness: Some smart outdoor lights can adjust their brightness levels based on the time of day or surrounding light conditions, providing the right amount of light when needed.

Remember that not all smart outdoor lighting systems will have all of these features, and some may offer additional unique features. It's essential to research and compare different products to find the best fit for your specific needs and preferences.

What are Philips Hue outdoor lights?

Philips Hue outdoor lights are a range of smart lighting products designed for outdoor use, developed by Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue brand. These lights offer a variety of features that make them convenient, customizable, and energy-efficient. They are part of the broader Philips Hue ecosystem, which is known for its high-quality smart lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments. Key features of Philips Hue outdoor lights include:

• Wireless control: Philips Hue outdoor lights can be controlled wirelessly through the Philips Hue app, allowing you to adjust the brightness, colour, and schedules from your smartphone or tablet.
• Voice control: The lights can be controlled with popular voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri, making it easy to manage your outdoor lighting using voice commands.
• Weather resistance: Philips Hue outdoor lights are designed to withstand various weather conditions, including rain, snow, and temperature fluctuations.
• Energy efficiency: The lights use energy-efficient LED technology, which consumes less power and lasts longer than traditional bulbs.
• Colour options: Philips Hue offers both white and colour ambiance outdoor lights, allowing you to choose from millions of colours and create customized lighting scenes for different occasions or moods.
• Compatibility: These outdoor lights are compatible with other Philips Hue products and can be integrated with other smart home systems for a more connected home experience.
• Expandability: The Philips Hue outdoor lighting system is expandable, meaning you can start with a few lights and easily add more as your needs change or your outdoor space grows.

As with other types of lighting, when selecting Philips Hue outdoor lights, it's essential to consider your specific needs and preferences, as well as the layout and design of your outdoor space.

How are smart outdoor lights fitted?

Installing smart outdoor lights can be a straightforward process, provided you follow the manufacturer's instructions and take the necessary safety precautions. While the specifics may vary depending on the product and your existing electrical setup, the general steps for fitting smart outdoor lights are as follows. First, choose the location where you want to install the light, then turn off the power to ensure your safety while working with electrical wiring. Prepare the wiring, mount the light fixture, and connect the wiring from your smart outdoor light to your home's existing electrical wiring. Install the light source, restore power, and set up the smart features. Finally, customize the settings to your liking. Remember that if you are unsure about any step in the installation process, it's always a good idea to consult a qualified electrician to ensure a safe and correct installation.

What height, and where should smart outdoor lighting be fitted?

The height and location for fitting smart outdoor lighting depend on the type of light, its purpose, and your outdoor space's layout. Here are some general guidelines to help you determine the optimal height and placement for various types of smart outdoor lights:

• Wall-mounted lights: For lights mounted on exterior walls, such as sconces or lanterns, aim for a height of 6 to 8 feet above the ground or about 1/3 the height of the door or entryway. Position these lights near doors, garage entrances, or on walls where you want to enhance security and visibility.
• Pathway lights: For bollards, stake lights, or other pathway lighting options, choose a height that illuminates the path without creating glare. Generally, these lights should be around 18 to 24 inches tall. Space them evenly along the pathway, usually about 8 to 10 feet apart.
• Spotlights: When using spotlights to highlight landscape features, such as trees or statues, mount them at ground level or slightly above and angle them upward toward the feature. Alternatively, you can mount them on tree branches or other elevated positions for a downlighting effect.
• Floodlights: Floodlights should be mounted higher, typically at 8 to 12 feet above the ground or even higher, depending on the area they need to cover. Place them in strategic locations to illuminate larger areas, such as driveways, backyards, or building facades.
• Step lights: Install step lights directly into the risers of steps or under the lip of the tread, at a height that illuminates the steps without creating glare.
• Post or pole lights: For lights mounted on posts or poles, such as garden lamps or driveway lights, consider a height of 6 to 8 feet or taller, depending on the area you want to illuminate and the scale of your outdoor space.
• String lights or light strips: When installing string lights or light strips, make sure they are high enough to avoid obstruction or entanglement but low enough to provide adequate lighting. Generally, string lights should be hung at least 7 to 10 feet above the ground.

When deciding on the height and placement of your smart outdoor lighting, consider factors such as the size of your outdoor space, the purpose of the lighting (security, ambiance, or task), and any potential sources of glare or light pollution. Experiment with different heights and locations to find the best setup for your specific needs. And, as always, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for installation and safety.

Final thoughts

Smart outdoor lights offer benefits such as motion sensors, voice control, mobile app control, scheduling, energy efficiency, and compatibility with smart home systems. Philips Hue outdoor lights were highlighted as a popular choice, while integrated LEDs were recommended for their energy efficiency, durability, and performance.

When installing smart outdoor lights, it's essential to consider factors such as height, location, and purpose. Integrated LED fixtures are a top choice due to their numerous advantages over traditional bulbs, including energy savings, long lifespan, improved light quality, and eco-friendliness.

Customers can take advantage of the Change Your Mind Guarantee, which allows them to get a refund or exchange up to 30 days after their purchase has been delivered. This ensures that customers can confidently invest in smart outdoor lighting, knowing they have the flexibility to return or exchange the product if it does not meet their needs or expectations.