Bringing the Sun Indoors
by Aaron Kampfe
Outdoors, natural sunlight is central to the Montana experience. In the winter, we are drawn to the slopes for those bright “bluebird” ski days when the sun reflects off the fresh powder and groomed runs. The spring brings longer days as we fish early in the morning or into the evening. In the summer, the kids are still outside playing as the sunlight finally disappears after 10pm. By fall, the shorter days bring cooler hiking temperatures and light illuminates the earthy hues of the foliage.
What if you could bring that outdoor light indoors?
“In Montana, homeowners don’t want to be distracted by technology. We strive to integrate solutions that enhance their experience with nature. These systems work in the background and are usually not consciously perceived.”
–Scott Abel, Director of Quality, SAV
SAV Digital Environments is a custom integrator of residential and commercial solutions and is one the companies on the national forefront of home technology. Scott Abel, SAV’s Director of Quality and Customer, says, “In Montana, homeowners don’t want to be distracted by technology. We strive to integrate solutions that enhance their experience with nature. These systems work in the background and are usually not consciously perceived. When it comes to lighting, we are able to create an experience of having natural outdoor sunlight, indoors.”
Among SAV’s product partners is Lutron Electronics. In the fall of 2021, David Weinstein, VP of Residential Sales at Lutron Electronics, attended an event hosted by SAV in Bozeman. He remarked, “The southwest Montana residential market is well aligned with Lutron’s Intelligent Lighting Solutions product offering. The rapid pace of luxury home building in this part of the state has resulted in increasing demand for our products. The big skies of Montana draw people to the region and our lifestyle-enhancing lighting and shading control technologies only work to complement people’s experience here.”
Using Ketra’s human-centric, full-spectrum natural lighting systems, rooms can follow the pattern of the sun by adjusting both intensity and color temperature. SAV starts with the home’s longitude and latitude and then analyzes the occupants’ routines. In the morning, warm and gentle light functions to help wake and energize. During the noon hours, natural, “cooler” color tones illuminate the interior spaces of the home. By late afternoon, the lighting is more muted, warm, and relaxed just like a setting sun. In the evening, the environment prepares the residents for sleep.
“The southwest Montana residential market is well aligned with Lutron’s Intelligent Lighting Solutions product offering. The rapid pace of luxury home building in this part of the state has resulted in increasing demand for our products. The big skies of Montana draw people to the region and our lifestyle-enhancing lighting and shading control technologies only work to complement people’s experience here.
–David Weinstein, VP of Residential Sales, at Lutron Electronics
“We appreciate how SAV’s design team considers how light illuminates interior design features in a home and can create light direction to important areas such as artwork, or create a glow on an exterior patio. What is really cutting-edge is the ability to fluidly adjust at different times of the day.”
–Sharon Lohss, Principal Interior Designer, Shelter Interiors
Lutron and its subsidiary company Ketra manufacture a comprehensive offering of full-spectrum architectural grade downlights, linear lighting, track lighting, and lamp solutions for portable or decorative lighting fixtures. Sharon Lohss, principal interior designer at Shelter Interiors, says, “Lighting is central to interior design and one’s experience with the space. We appreciate how SAV’s design team considers how light illuminates interior design features in a home and can create light direction to important areas such as artwork, or create a glow on an exterior patio. What is really cutting-edge is the ability to fluidly adjust at different times of the day.”
What surprises many is that these new technologies are exponentially more energy-efficient. The technology eliminates the need for bulky dimmer panels and wiring and also minimizes required circuits. The processors and keypads communicate through reliable and proven wireless communication technology. The end result is tremendous lifestyle enhancement, system reliability, simplicity, and energy savings.
Home lighting systems have advanced to where they emanate over 16 million color combinations. Using a scale of 1400 to 10000, the color temperature spectrum varies from replicating candlelight to bright outdoor sunlight. The uses can be frivolous and fun like lighting one’s home in one’s favorite football team colors. The system can also be utilized to enhance a piece of fine art, or to set the mood for a remote office business meeting. The uses and applications are countless.
SAV has the capabilities to customize lighting to the homeowner’s desire and bring “Big Sky Country” indoors.
