A single keypad with as few as four or as many as 15 buttons can give homeowners control as detailed as they'd like over scenes, pathways, zones, or the entire house. Lighting systems can also interface with certain home automation functions to simplify related operations. In a bedroom, for example, you'd typically close the shades when you turn on a light and those two functions could be programmed into a single command. A built-in astronomical time clock in Lite Touch's system can be programmed to activate outside lights at dusk every night of the year. Some systems can integrate with the climate control system as well.
Security is the serious side of lighting control and it balances out the convenience factor.
Luxury-home owners wouldn't think of building a home without an alarm system these days, and programmable lighting systems can be an important part of that defense. If a sensor is tripped, that message could be transmitted to the security interface of a lighting system, which could then flash the lights or power up all lights in response. In case of a fire alarm, certain paths could be illuminated to show the way out of the house. Another useful feature of programmable lighting systems is the vacation mode. Since lighting systems are controlled by a microprocessor, their daily routines can be memorized and then programmed to play back at a later date.