Lighting is no longer just about illumination; it’s becoming an intelligent part of the network. As smart building technologies gain traction, Power over Ethernet (PoE) is emerging as a key enabler, extending far beyond its original role of powering network gear. One of the most exciting frontiers? PoE lighting.
In this article, we explore how PoE lighting can be seamlessly integrated into your existing infrastructure, and how resellers and system integrators can tap into this growing trend to expand their offerings, add value for clients, and stay ahead of the curve. We also take a look at what’s next for PoE as it powers a new era of low-voltage innovation.
Power over Ethernet leverages the conductive properties of copper UTP cable to send electrical power to connected network devices. A while back, we covered the fundamentals of the operation of PoE, and we also discussed the more recent evolution of PoE technology.
As PoE has developed, its potential uses in other areas have become more apparent. Because PoE is a highly configurable feature and can be easily deployed on existing, extensively deployed structured cabling infrastructure, it is a readily available platform on which many low-voltage applications can be deployed.
PoE lighting leverages PoE's infrastructure and properties to deliver power to lighting of all types, including room lighting, decorative lighting, signage, and signaling. Due to its low voltage requirements and extreme energy efficiency, PoE lighting is always of the light-emitting diode (LED) type.
PoE lighting isn’t only about powering the light source, though; it is largely about control. PoE-powered lights become IP-connected endpoints that can be controlled and adjusted as part of a broader smart building infrastructure, as we’ll see shortly.
Conventional lighting systems require standard high-voltage AC power (120V) to be delivered over a separate electrical infrastructure. This is the typical electrical network deployed within a building. LED lights operate using DC, so a transformer is required to convert the high-voltage AC power to low-voltage DC. Such lighting is often controlled using a typical light switch, but in less common cases, it may also be controlled by a more sophisticated electrical control system.
In contrast, PoE lighting uses the same UTP copper cabling used for data to provide electrical power. The power over this infrastructure is already low-voltage DC, so no additional transformers are required. This is a more elegant solution that saves on hardware costs compared with AC-powered lights.
Another great advantage here is that PoE lighting can employ built-in control mechanisms to adjust lighting based on a wide range of parameters. In other words, PoE lights are also network endpoints that can be controlled via centralized management platforms. This allows fine-grained adjustments of lighting levels, scheduling, color temperature, and motion-based automation. These are capabilities for which traditional lighting systems require additional wiring, sensors, and control units, which can be cumbersome and expensive.
PoE lighting brings several compelling advantages from both a technical and an operational point of view:
Although lighting is a major area of innovation, it is just one of many applications benefiting from PoE’s flexibility and efficiency. This is where smart building integration comes in.
Facilities management is a major area in which PoE lighting can be integrated. Many additional connected devices can be incorporated, such as sensors, thermostats, touch-based control panels, and various access management system devices, including face recognition cameras, doorbells, code pads, smart card readers, and others. In combination with PoE lighting, these options can provide a complete facilities management solution.
PoE has come a long way from powering more conventional PoE devices such as IP phones and cameras. With PoE lighting as part of a broader smart building and facilities management framework, living and working spaces can gain much from smart automation and management. The result is more power-efficient systems and a higher degree of usability and management.
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