By Carol Thompson, VP of Purchasing at Taylor Morrison, Inc.
Being kind to the planet is a top priority for many of us. We drive hybrid cars, buy ENERGY STAR appliances, and recycle whatever we can. Exciting breakthroughs in low voltage technologies make it even easier to reduce carbon footprints and build green living homes that appeal to conscientious buyers.
It is for this reason we have given great care and consideration to create the most inviting, accessible, and comfortable green living experience possible in the The NEXTadventure™ Home. This residential home supports a lifestyle designed specifically with the 55 and better market in mind.
Technological advances make possible a seamless integration of various low voltage products. The future is bright, indeed.
Today’s products for low voltage create a fully automated, interlocking system with tremendous advantages that boost security and away-from-home control of your lights and front-door entry.
- Until recently, fully integrated security systems were only found in $1m+ homes, and would cost homeowners well over $100k. Today, energy-conscious homeowners can install high-tech systems loaded with smartphone-enabled features for under $2k.
- Monitor and control what’s happening in your home even when you’re not there. Using your smartphone, you can open the door for a repairman, housekeeper, or latchkey grandkid home from school.
- Set a specific panel of controls to “reset” your home, specific to unique situations. For example, set a “perimeter” of 3mi, and when the last person leaves that radius, the lights go on low, and the alarm is set. When you reenter the perimeter, the garage door opens, lights are up, and the thermostat is at a perfect temperature from the minute you walk in the door.
- Energy Management. Set lights and thermostats on low when the home is empty in order to keep your utility bills low.
- Video Doorbell. Get a text or notification when your dog-walker opens the front door or program the lock with a code that only works between 9am and 11am for the cleaning crew.
- Grand/Parental Controls. One clever dad automatically cut the power to his sneaky son’s gaming system after hours and restored order to bedtime shenanigans.
- Set a lighting program that makes you look home while on vacation and gain peace of mind while sipping on drinks with little umbrellas.
Careful collaboration with Joe Strada and the team at Del-Air Electrical, Security & Low Voltage means that the NEXTadventure™ home has raised the bar for technological innovations like Low Voltage Security & Energy Control Systems. It opens up a realm of possibilities for builders and first-time buyers alike who didn’t know how affordable and available this technology could be, whether it’s added to an existing home, or built into a new one.
Employ deep design thinking when playing up all the low-voltage systems can offer a modern and sophisticated home. Your customers will be glad that you did.
Tell us about how you bring big design thinking to your work at on Twitter at @taylor_morrison. We’d love to know what you’re up to. Watch the progress of The NEXTadventure™ Home using #nextadventurehome.
