Posted 07.22.2009 at 6:44 pm
12 Comments
Verve Lighting Control Unit
Verve
Every home needs lights. But for the Green Dream? Forget copper wire between lights and light switches, three-way switches and batteries; I’m looking at Verve’s lighting control system—-a wireless solution that uses radio frequencies to control a home’s lights, allowing you to put your light switches wherever you want--on your wall, in your pocket or even the dash of your car.
The energy harvested from physically moving the switches on Verve’s control panel is enough to transmit a radio signal as far as 300 feet to a central controller, which then relays the power to the individual hardwired lights or outlets. Enocean first developed the switches, that generate their own power via electro-dynamic generators linked to the movement of the light switches themselves.
Verve Lighting Switch: Cutaway Verve
But the killer thing? You can tack the switch to almost any surface and move it without the need to pull wires and rip up your walls. The switch is basically just a remote control that lives anywhere you want it (within range of the controller that is). It is not silent but rather makes a solid click sound so you get feedback even if you don’t have status lights on the switch itself.
And now, for why this fits with the Green Dream: This will save hundreds of feet of copper wire and tons of labor time on the install. The first thing I thought of was the ability to fully shut down all the power that my house is burning when I drive off--the satellite box, the light that I left on near the bed, etc. With a simple click I’m saving money! They say that the total cost for a 3,000 square foot home is about $3,000. The sad part? The system is designed for new constructions only--no retrofits!
I asked architectural lighting designer Sean O’Conner what he thought of the system:
“Verve offers a great value proposition for a residential lighting system. It offers the preset scenes you would expect along with great flexibility and ease of installation not found in other systems and at an amazingly affordable price. It is also easily programmed by the end user without factory commissioning – another cost savings. It appears that for just a little more than a house full of nice dimmers you could have Verve.
That said the Verve system is kind of a “light” version of a lighting control system. Whole-home lighting controls systems offer more complex programming, advanced logic, multiple button keypads, engraved buttons, LED status lights for presets and dimmers. But that doesn’t seem like much of a tradeoff when you consider the price!"
[Verve]
Want to learn more about the environment, solar energy, sustainability, and more? Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!
12 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
The Environment on Popular Science
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
The Environment
Most Emailed
The Environment
Most Viewed
The Environment
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
I'm not quite so sure about the how much wiring is saved. Each light is now wired to a Verve controller -- somewhat like wiring it to a light switch. Since the Verve controllers manage 10 loads each, some of the wiring runs might be a little long.
The self powered switches are intiguing -- if they work.
I didn't see enough details about the flexible programming to comment.
I think it would save some copper wiring and the system functionality seems like something that would be really nice and save on electric bills.
Looks like wiring works by wiring power from your CB to the controllers and then from the controller to your fictures and outlets. Any wiring runs to/from switches would be eliminated.
I'm sure with a little work existing wiring could be re-routed to the controllers and runs to outlets removed or re-used in other places that new runs are needed. Controllers could be placed in the most efficient places to keep the copper runs to a minimum in length.
The FAQ on their webpage says it would be cost prohibitive to re-wire an existing home but I bet you could do it yourself if you're familiar with electricity/trons and use the wiring already in your home, possibly with some extra wiring to recycle when you're done.
"But that doesn’t seem like much of a tradeoff when you consider the price!"
**Pricing for "whole-home lighting control systems" doesn't have to be ridiculously high anymore. My company EZ-Integration (www.ez-integration.com), is now doing installs for such systems with a mix of technologies from different vendors that is giving people a high level of control and customizability, along with typical energy/money savings in the 20%-30% neighborhood. The vast majority of the savings we provide comes from that same "one click" ability to shut your energy-use down when you're not actually needing it. Our systems are significantly less expensive than some of the others you see in the market.
That being said, this is a very interesting control idea. We might look see if we can find a way to incorporate it with what we're doing. I like the wireless concept. I'm definately going to have to look more closely at this product. Very neat idea!
Why need wires at all? Why doesn't the controller turn the lights on and off with radio waves too? Then you just need all your lights hooked up to a radio receiver with a switch, all you need wires for is the electricity.
@bdhoro87: Then you're probably looking at substantially increasing the cost of lights as you'd likely have the receivers built into the lights.
Otherwise, you'd have to install a second product at the light to be a receiver, which could be a pain.
use a bunch of sky lights. when it gets dark use ur lamps.
how bout leds?
hey screw lights im thinking of the military applications of tech like this
im thinking remotly detonated bombs and perhaps turning on a mine field
this is very geeky but cool. go green!
link this switch to a solartube lighting fixture that has solar panels also in it and charge your lighting system for night use...solve the problem with the problem
I would welcome some comments on the reliability before I consider this as an option for our clients. I have been hearing and reading of this new technology for some time, yet to date I have not heard if it is reliable to replace current hard wiring.
www.ldj-lights.co.uk
This is meaningful forward and may see some real competition emerging with traditional wiring. I believe this is future in the present.
www.litecraftcommercial.co.uk