In corporate AV, when we talk about innovation, we often look toward displays, AI-enhanced meetings, immersive technology, cameras, and audio upgrades. But increasingly, one of the most productive changes requires looking slightly higher. To the ceiling.
Low-voltage lighting is transforming our corporate spaces, combining studio-quality lighting with low-voltage, IT-friendly power and control. It’s creating a harmony that redefines the creative and operational possibilities of corporate AV.
The most popular approaches to low-voltage control are PoE and DMX. From DMX consoles to wall controls to APP control through PC, Macs, and phones, simple signal converter interfaces facilitate most front-end methods.
Advancements in low-voltage lighting technology now accommodate single cable runs of standard Cat 5 or Cat 6e cable to the fixtures, further contributing to the efficacy and simplicity of the systems.
Low-voltage lighting operates at 24V or 48V DC. With high-voltage requirements eliminated, installations can be completed by integration teams already on site, increasing QC by reducing complexity. Running cooler and less susceptible to voltage fluctuations, low voltage lighting systems can add to system longevity with minimal back up when staying “on-air” is critical in the event of a power outage.
Evaluating Options
The ability of most low-voltage systems to integrate into IP-addressable control creates the opportunity to add lighting to cloud-managed services, supporting client peace of mind while increasing the integrator's piece of the recurring revenue pie. Interface choices should be based on certifications specific to the country of use and the front-end control preferences of the end users.
In a corporate environment, this integration means that lighting is no longer siloed from AV and control systems. Instead, studio-quality lighting can be programmed, automated, and adapted with the same sophistication as an AV ecosystem, creating a unified workplace experience. Companies can create meeting rooms with presets for videoconferencing, presentations, and collaborative work. Lighting can be adjusted to optimize camera image quality and reduce glare and shadows for those calling remotely.
This enables easier installation, streamlined integration, and lower energy consumption. Clients are free to focus on the creativity of their content versus the integration and operation of their video lighting systems.
When evaluating low-voltage lighting systems, look for technology that offers variable white color control, which allows users to adjust the color temperature of white light. This provides significant creative, operational, and technical benefits, including increased color fidelity, practical light source matching, and the ability to mix light sources of different color temperatures.
Today’s lighting systems offer vast creative control and can also be pre-programmed to offer "instant on" operation. When appropriately selected, the array of features, playback options, and adjustments of a chosen system can contribute to the successful video output, increasing both system adoption rate and content absorption.
Why It Matters
For corporate clients, low-voltage lighting brings cost efficiency, flexibility, and a better user experience. Energy savings are immediate, especially when fixtures are paired with LEDs and advanced controls. Operational costs come down as do the costs of reconfiguring a workplace, which is critical when adapting between in-office, hybrid and remote work models.
For AV integrators, low-voltage lighting expands project scope. Installations are simple and often don’t require electrical subcontractors. Networked lighting can be monitored remotely, updated with firmware patches, and optimized for energy efficiency, which could lead to an expanding and continued managed services offering from the integrator.
Brightline, for example, has introduced the AV/720 to simplify low-voltage lighting. It's a 20-port, DMX-controlled, variable white, and easily scalable system that interfaces with IP-addressable control. With pre-labeled light fixtures, cables, and ports, the AV/720 basically brings "lighting by numbers" simplicity to the world of professional video lighting.
As corporations face increasing pressure to meet sustainability goals, low-voltage lighting becomes more than a cost-saving measure—it can be a compliance and branding asset. Reduced power draw, longer fixture lifespans, and compatibility with daylight harvesting all support green building initiatives.
Proposals that lead with efficient lighting options align with clients that require LEED certification or have watts per square foot restrictions. With 90% of S&P 500 companies publishing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reports, integrators can partner in their strategy with low-voltage offerings.
Transforming Interior Spaces
While good lighting can have an ethereal quality, there is nothing ethereal about the benefits of low-voltage lighting. Positioned as partners in the sustainability initiative, integrators who embrace low-voltage lighting benefit from increased project scope and service opportunities, while their clients realize reduced operating costs, more flexibility, and enhanced video results. Integrating low-voltage lighting with other LV technologies increases workplace safety and efficiency.
Light transforms our outdoor world daily, organically and automatically, and innovative lighting systems can bring the same transformation indoors to your video environments. As AV, IT, and building systems converge, low-voltage lighting will continue to redefine what’s possible in corporate video environments.
Why You Should Embrace Low-Voltage Lighting
• Conserve resources with less work.
• Save clients’ money while making more.
• Eliminate high voltage and ensure safety.
• Reduce cable size and increase aesthetic.
• Produce high-impact video with little power.
