We need energy – and lots of it – to light our homes, schools, offices, hospitals, hotels, and restaurants. Lighting, in fact, consists of nearly 25% of the United States electricity budget, which is approximately $37 billion annually.  Because it consumes such a large portion of the country’s energy, lighting has emerged as a priority for energy efficiency efforts. Such efforts can reduce carbon emissions and save our environment.

In the average home, most light controls are a simple on/off switch, rather than a dimmer. This means that whether it's the middle of the day or it's nighttime, your fixtures are putting out the exact same amount of light. In fact, light switches are one of the few appliances that only have two settings – on and off.  One of the best and simplest ways to save energy is to use dimmers and other devices that manage daylight and electrical light. 

An integrated lighting system has many benefits. Lighting control systems add value to your home.  The preset scenes and automatic timers can conserve power and save you money, as well as running lights at preset dimming levels. 

With Shade Control, you can quickly and easily control sunlight to prevent harsh U/V rays from damaging expensive furnishings or reduce glare that reflects off of a television or computer screen.  Keeping the temperature even all day long means less money spent heating and cooling your house.  The benefits of automating your shades and draperies are significant; by programming them to open and close at certain times offers convenience, maximizes your comfort plus saves money on your utility bill.

Digital Surroundings will work with you to select the ideal automated shades for your needs (such as light-filtering, privacy or blackout) and countless combinations of fabrics and colors allows you to integrate shade control into any part of your home.  Shade controls can create privacy for your bedroom or bath, create the right mood for your living room or dining room, and create the perfect ambience and light control for your home theater.  Shading systems can be controlled using a multitude of elegant keypads, IR remote controls, wireless tabletop controls, or set to an astronomic time clock for automatic adjustment of shades.