Lighting control has long been one of many systems that Oldsmar, Fla.–based S&S Electric installs for its customers. But in the last several months, vice president Shawn Smith has seen the technology in a new light—specifically, a green one.

“We've heard people talk about green options,” says Smith. “I get a call about it once a week. They're asking, ‘How do we get a green home?'”

Typically, says Smith, lighting control is sold to home buyers as a convenience. But as environmental consciousness gains momentum, those same buyers are seeking to be as Earth-friendly as they can, and lighting control is more marketable than ever. “Buyers ask, ‘What can we do to make our homes green?' They're not really aware that lighting control is an option.”

In fact, when it comes to marketing and selling energy-efficient, digital home technology, lighting control is a reasonable place to start. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program:

Consumption for all lighting in the United States is estimated to be about 22 percent of total electricity generated.
Lighting accounts for one-fifth of national electricity consumption.
It costs approximately $58 billion a year to light homes, offices, streets, and factories.

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