Power over Ethernet or POE lighting is a lighting system that is connected and powered using ethernet (Cat 5/6) cables. Since LEDs now require such little energy, they can easily be powered via ethernet cables to create a connected system that is much easier to install than a traditional ballast/lamp replacement. To the right, you can see an example of what a common ethernet cable looks like. By connecting the lighting system using POE, it enables the fixtures to gather large amounts of data which can be analyzed and used to create a more efficient facility. For example, daylight harvesting enables the lighting system to automatically dim the light levels based on the amount of natural light entering a space.
Customized & Connected Lighting
The largest benefit of POE lighting is the ability to customize your lighting due to the fixtures being connected in a lighting system. POE lighting systems are commonly comprised of light fixtures and devices such as motion sensors that report data to a hub that analyzes the data and adjusts the lighting. Therefore, your lighting system can quickly be customized and automatically adjust itself to ensure your facility is using energy as efficiently as possible.
Imagine you are sitting in a private office working on a financial presentation that is due tomorrow. The pressure is on, time is ticking, and the stress is building up. You cannot help but notice the headache creeping up on you because the lighting in your office is a sterile white color that is extremely bright. You think to yourself “I wish I could make this light warmer and less bright!” This is where lighting systems like POE save the day. In the snap of a finger, you can customize the lighting in your office to your preferences to ensure you are comfortable and productive in your workspace.
LED lights are generally 70% more efficient than outdated options such as fluorescent or HID lamps. POE lighting systems can greatly increase this percentage based on different features. Daylight harvesting, occupancy sensing, task tuning, and many more features reduce energy consumption while improving the quality of the facilities’ lighting.
Data Mining
As stated above, lighting systems such as POE utilize different sensors and chips that collect various types of raw data. As this new technology has emerged, we have seen a huge potential for the use of this data in various applications.
A great example of how lighting data can be applied is space management. Space management is the analysis of occupancy sensor data to prove insights on how your space is used. For example, you may find a certain conference room is rarely being utilized and could be repurposed to fill another need in your facility such as an office space. Furthermore, it can make your maintenance team more efficient by providing insights on what spaces were used the most that week so they can tackle the dirtier areas first and skip the spaces that were not used.
As you can, the possibilities are truly endless with POE lighting systems and Integra LED is excited for the future of these systems.
Market Potential
As POE technology has advanced, we have seen a rapid expansion in the commercial lighting sector. Over 1 billion square feet of commercial space is currently illuminated by POE lighting solutions. Furthermore, The POE LED market is expected to rise to a value of 544.8 million units by the end of 2026.
Integra LED is excited for the future of LED lighting and connected systems. If you are interested in being on the cutting edge of smart building technology, contact us via the form below to take the first steps!
Integra offers turnkey LED lighting upgrades and POE lighting system installations for all types of commercial facilities. Get started today!
