The time of getting up to change the channel on television is quickly becoming ancient history. The technology of the remote helped homeowners remain seated while enjoying a movie or television show, and now, owners of smart homes can have instant access to information about home operations and home performance from a computer or mobile device. Some homes can even be operated by voice control. The reNEWable Living home has 10 applications that are tied together with Amazon’s Alexa voice service. This is possible by taking advantage of the “internet of things” that today affects so many aspects of the home. Giving your home buyers an experience like this has become a reality.
Meritage, through the 2018 BUILDER Concept Home, is making strides in providing that experience while also making sure it’s easy and functional for the user.
“The smart home technology space evolves daily,” says CR Herro, vice president of environmental affairs at Meritage Homes. “To ensure that the reNEWable Living Home is adaptable to the evolution of user interfaces, all of the selected devices are cloud based and can talk to all current central control systems, as well as being adaptable to the future of control devices not yet invented.”
Through the reNEWable Living Home, Meritage is tapping into the buyer’s desire to have instant home customization. Herro and his team selected 10 components—outlined below—that could offer expanded functionality if they were smart, giving the homeowner a more dynamic experience. (Should the homeowner not want a video-equipped doorbell or smart locks, however, that’s ultimately their choice.) Through collaborations with suppliers, the Meritage team captured the cutting-edge of new smart home technology and included optimized Wi-Fi functionality to make sure the experience is seamless.
Aprilaire/HVAC
The Aprilaire Model 8192 Ventilating Dehumidifier and 8840M control system monitors and proactively responds to changes in temperature and humidity to keep the house clean, dry, and comfortable, regardless of whether its 90 degrees with 90% humidity or 30 degrees with 30% humidity outside. The user can either adjust on a whim or allow the system to work with cloud-based data to automatically optimize the home.
Square D Wiser Energy System
The reNEWable Living Home is working with SquareD to reveal a new energy monitoring system that can be embedded into the circuit panel to see how much energy is being used by each component of the house, plus incorporate energy production from the solar powered systems. Homeowners can get custom energy consumption reports by day, month, or year. When homeowners know and understand the usage data, they can adjust their energy consumption accordingly. The app also can act as a diagnostic tool to notify homeowners about electrical failures before they impact the monthly bill or the ability to keep milk cold.
Whirlpool Scan to Cook
Not a whiz in the kitchen? Whirlpool thinks you don’t have to be. The smart technology in Whirlpool appliances gives them access to recipes and cooking instructions to make the average person an executive chef. Homeowners can receive a shopping list in advance and get step-by-step instructions to cook the perfect meal. The appliances also are intuitive, remembering how you like your favorite meals and adjusting to those settings automatically over time.
U by Moen Spa Shower
The Moen technology creates a luxury spa experience right in the home. The Moen app allows the user to control the showerhead, rainhead, and six wall-mounted spray heads to control selection, cycling, pressure, and temperature. Plus, the system uses a pressurized flow to get the total spa experience by using half the water and energy than a conventional fixture, according to the manufacturer.
Origin Acoustics
This app is music to your ears…depending on who you are and where you are in the home. The whole home and garage were embedded with wireless speakers so that each member of the household can choose their favorite music and that music can follow them around the house and switch as they move rooms and change moods. It can be activated room by room with the Alexa voice activation.
iDevices by Progress Lighting
We already mentioned the advent of remote controls for TVs. The same revolution is happening with switches throughout the home as they are becoming obsolete. Homeowners can instead give voice commands to power lights on and off, and eventually the home will be able to adjust the lighting accordingly as someone moves through it based on motion sensors or voice commands.
Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock
The internet of things now allows homeowners to open their door without physically being present. The reNEWable Living Home uses a Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock system that provides the ability to manage multiple entry codes so that guests, housekeepers, and maintenance can access the home. Codes can be deleted or limited to maximize security. Through the app, homeowners can let in a family member who lost a key, or receive a text when a child makes it home safely.
Ring Pro
Doorbells are now embedded with microphones and video cameras that can deliver information to any smart device, anywhere in the world, and they know when people are approaching the door thanks to a motion detector. Ring, the maker of the doorbell used in the reNEWable Living Home, allows the homeowner to see who is standing at the front door and respond accordingly. It also allows people not currently at home to communicate with whomever is at the door. For instance, homeowners can virtually give permission to someone delivering a package to leave it, or give a visitor a code to open the door and let them in.
Liftmaster 8360W with MyQ Smart Technology
If you thought there couldn’t be advances in the technology of garage doors, think again. With information stored in the cloud, homeowners can greatly expand the reach of the garage door opener, opening or closing the garage door from miles away, or even while on vacation to allow a neighbor to borrow a tool. Every member of the family can have a custom, virtual garage door clicker embedded in their smart device.
Toro Evolution Series Irrigation Control
The internet of things delivers weather information to the irrigation system to adjust watering based on the weather forecast for healthier landscape and lower water bills by proactively adjusting to changing temperatures and changing rainfall. Smart yards know that trees shouldn’t be watered the same as grass and shrubs, so it can adjust to different plant types and root depths to maximize the health and strength of landscaping. This also offers significant cost savings.
Meritage was careful to select technology that is user friendly and that can adapt over time. All of the components have algorithms that will improve the user interface based on usage, and they can be customized to the specific needs of each person in the home.
For more information about the technology being installed in the reNEWable Living Home, visit www.builderonline.com/renewable or come see the home in Orlando in January.
