Summary
While the industry has made significant strides in improving energy efficiency through the adoption of LED technology, one of the most overlooked areas of energy waste lies in how we use our lighting systems—not just the technology itself. A recurring issue in many productions is that lighting rigs are often left in high-output states unnecessarily, simply because the system was last used that way and no one returned to adjust or park it. This can result in hours of wasted energy per day.
Problem
Lighting rigs often stay in fully active states even when there is no practical need. This is not typically a technical limitation, but rather a behavioural one—operators may be distracted, assume others will change it, or simply forget. This leads to excessive and avoidable energy consumption across venues, theatres, and studios.
Proposal
EOS could take a leading role in addressing this inefficiency by introducing a built-in Eco Saver Mode. When enabled, the console would monitor output intensity levels across the rig and, after a user-defined period of unchanged output (e.g. default: 15 minutes), gently reduce intensity values to:
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A percentage of their earlier output (e.g. /25% of)
OR
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A predefined Preset state of the user's choosing (e.g. “Eco Hold Preset””)
Before acting, the console would display a prominent, non-intrusive warning with a fair warning countdown, allowing the operator to cancel or postpone the dimming.
Flexibility and Control
To ensure it fits a variety of workflows, this feature should be fully configurable:
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Global Enable/Disable (default: enabled) in system settings
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Customisable Timeout Period (default: 15 minutes)
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Customisable Fade-Out Time (default: 2 minutes)
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Cue/Submaster Bypass Flags: Any cue or submaster marked as “eco exempt” would prevent the system from engaging Eco Saver mode when active
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Manual Override: At any point, an operator can dismiss or cancel the action with a single button press
Benefits
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Environmental Impact: Encourages more sustainable usage of lighting rigs without requiring user discipline
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Cost Savings: Reduces power consumption, especially in large venues or multi-rig setups
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User Awareness: Promotes better habits by making power usage more visible and intentional
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Market Leadership: Positions EOS as an innovator in sustainability and practical efficiency
