In a professionally designed smart home, it usually isn’t an either-or decision. Lutron can serve as the dedicated lighting and shading control system, while Crestron, Control4, or Savant provides broader whole-home automation. The two systems are integrated so they feel like one experience to the homeowner.

This approach allows Lutron HomeWorks to handle the specialized functions it was engineered for, including dimming, lighting scenes, architectural keypads, motorized shades, and intelligent lighting technologies such as Ketra. The home automation platform can then incorporate those lighting and shading functions into larger routines involving audio, video, climate, security, access control, and other systems.

For example, selecting a Movie scene from a Crestron, Control4, or Savant interface could tell HomeWorks to dim specific lights and lower the shades while the automation system turns on the display, selects the movie source, adjusts the temperature, and prepares the audio system.

There is another important advantage: the home’s essential lighting controls are not dependent on the broader automation system for everyday operation. HomeWorks keypads and programmed lighting functions can continue operating locally even if the AV or home automation system experiences an issue.

The best architecture depends on the size and complexity of the residence. Definitive Electronics designs the lighting, shading, and home automation systems together so homeowners get Lutron’s specialized lighting capabilities without sacrificing the simplicity of unified whole-home control.