Q&A With Aterra Designs: How Lighting Technology Helps Builders and Contractors
March 4, 2025
Rusty Gunther, National Sales Manager at Aterra Designs, is joining us today to discuss top key trends in lighting design, challenges builders and their electrical contractors and designers are facing, how powerful technology can help and more.
With the expertise of 13 years in sales, Rusty works closely with builders to simplify the complexities of electrical design, enhance documentation processes and increase option sales. His people-first leadership style and commitment to innovation have helped Aterra expand its reach and impact, providing builders with tools that drive efficiency and profitability.
Our question and answer session is transcribed below.
As 2025 kicks off, what are you seeing as the top trends beginning to emerge in both lighting and lighting design? Also, what have you seen appealing to homeowners in terms of features and functionality?
Gunther: A key trend emerging in 2025 is the continued demand for smart, customizable, and energy-efficient lighting solutions. Homeowners are looking for integrated lighting systems that allow them to control brightness, color temperature and automation features from their smartphones or voice assistants.
Additionally, low-voltage lighting and hidden LED accents are becoming more popular as they offer a sleek and modern aesthetic while reducing energy consumption. Homebuyers also prioritize well-lit outdoor spaces, both for security and aesthetics, making landscape and pathway lighting an essential consideration in new builds.
Incorporating new technology into the jobsite is becoming more and more common. How has lighting technology like software or apps helped builders stay up to date with homeowner demands for lighting or help builders in the preconstruction phase and beyond?
Gunther: Lighting technology has revolutionized the way builders approach preconstruction planning and buyer engagement. Tools like Aterra Designs' Luminosity platform allow builders and designers to visualize electrical layouts in real-time, ensuring that lighting placements align with architectural and functional needs.
Automated tools, including load calculations, reduce field errors and streamline permitting, allowing for a smoother build process. With homeowners expecting more customization, digital tools provide a way to pre-sell lighting packages and guide buyers through their options before construction begins, eliminating last-minute changes that can delay projects.
On the benefits of technology on lighting design:
"Additionally, apps and software enable automated load calculations, reducing costly field errors and streamlining the permitting process. With homeowners expecting more customization, digital tools provide a way to pre-sell lighting packages and guide buyers through their options before construction begins, eliminating last-minute changes that can delay projects."
What challenges are builders and their electrical contractors dealing with in lighting and design today?
Gunther: One of the biggest challenges builders and electrical contractors face is the lack of standardization in lighting and electrical design processes. Many builders still rely on outdated manual processes, leading to documentation inconsistencies, miscommunication between teams and costly field changes.
Another key issue is ensuring compliance with evolving electrical codes, which can vary by region and require extensive knowledge to navigate. Additionally, labor shortages have put pressure on contractors, making it crucial to have detailed, easy-to-follow documentation that minimizes time spent troubleshooting on-site.
Builders often work with homeowners' interior designers or have their own design team, and lighting can be a challenge to design around. What advice do you have?
Gunther: Most builders I work with rely on their design or sales teams to navigate electrical and lighting design, but this often presents a significant challenge. While designers excel at creating beautiful interiors, many feel overwhelmed by the complexity of electrical codes, community guidelines, load calculations, and photometric analysis. As a result, even when they have great ideas, they may hesitate to share them with clients out of concern for potential errors or unforeseen complications.
At Aterra, we love collaborating with design teams. and we’ve built a platform specifically for designers that provided them with the confidence to communicate lighting concepts effectively, knowing that load calculations, panel monitoring and wiring diagrams are generated automatically in real time. This ensures that their creative vision is both functional and code-compliant, while also providing full transparency on costs for both the designer and the client. With our solution, Luminosity, designers can focus on what they do best—creating stunning spaces—without the stress of technical uncertainties.
What are the current collaborative tools that builders, contractors and others on the build team have at their fingertips while working on projects? What are the common pitfalls of those and how can these be improved upon?
Gunther: Many builders and contractors rely on project management platforms like Procore, Buildertrend, and CoConstruct to track project timelines and communication. However, these tools often lack specialized lighting and electrical documentation features, leading to disjointed workflows when it comes to option selection and final documentation.
Teams can bridge bridge this gap, and take advantage of a solution by Aterra that offers real-time updates, load calculations and drag-and-drop customization to streamline the lighting and electrical process. By integrating with a builder’s existing workflow, we’re reducing errors, accelerating decision-making and enhancing communication across teams.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and also about how you have learned about HomeSphere builders?
Gunther: One of the best parts of what I do is getting to meet with builders and HomeSphere representatives all across the country.
Every visit reinforces how much builders appreciate solutions that simplify electrical design, enhance option documentation, and ultimately drive more sales. It’s incredibly rewarding to introduce them to tools that make their process more efficient, while also working alongside HomeSphere—a team dedicated to ensuring builders maximize their rebates with ease. Seeing firsthand how our partnership can create real, tangible value for builders makes every conversation worth it.
Rusty Gunther has participated on a few "ride-alongs" with HomeSphere's Regional Market Specialists (RMS) where they visit with builders within their region who are active on the HomeSphere program. Unique to HomeSphere, the RMS team members together serve as a builder field team dedicated to introducing manufacturer sales reps to its builders.
Advantages of Working with Aterra Design Services
Builders partner with Aterra Designs because Aterra provides seamless, builder-friendly solutions that enhance lighting and electrical design without disrupting their existing workflows.
- No need to change the lighting brands or devices you currently work with
- No need to switch electrical contractors - we work with your team to optimize documentation and efficiency
- Opportunity for additional revenue - our customizable lighting plans empower homebuyers to personalize their spaces, increasing option sales and overall project profitability
Aterra Designs helps builders simplify the electrical design process, eliminate headaches and create better buyer experiences while also increasing their bottom line.
See how Aterra Designs can transform the process through Luminosity.
Interested in using Aterra Designs?
Rebates are available for both single-family and multifamily builders who join HomeSphere. Earn rebates through the HomeSphere Rebate Program, and check our full list of partners to see what other rebates you could be earning through our program.
