By definition, programmable means it will do whatever you want it to do.
Programmable devices, smart-home technology, the Internet of Things, or whatever term an apartment owner or operator chooses, are testing the definition of what it means to be programmable.
Smart homes have been a topic of at least one session at nearly every apartment industry conference for the past few years. Operators continue to try to wrap their heads around the concept, weighing its value and execution.
An evolving topic, many apartment companies strategies for using smart technology continue to evolve.
For supplier partners in this space, they see technology is improving. Based on discussions at industry events, however, many apartment owners and managers continue to put observation before investment. Others are excited about the potential energy savings, or the one amenity that could put their community ahead of the curve.
Following are comments heard during the past few months from apartment executives, supplier partners and media.
Considerations
Make it simple. You want to make sure your residents dont have to use four different apps to do four different things; and it cant just work only with iOS or Android.
Our No. 1 concern is are we using smart locks correctly. They are awesome, but if your company has chosen to use them,
you better make sure they work and are You plan a building three years before it opens, so committing to some tech aspects can backfire; the technology could have become old by the time it opens.
Many smart-home products require app updates. Owners must trust that their residents will download and install these updates.
If you are adding smart devices in your apartments, put them in your homes, too, so you can experience them as a consumer would.
Benchmarks
At this stage, since so many smart homes are new, and because people move out of apartments, there is not much year-over-year data to measure and compare yet.
We are seeing that residents will at first use an app an average of four times per month. Once they are comfortable with it, its used six or seven times per month.
We have 75,000 units using our platform; 90 percent of those are retrofits.
Energy savings are being touted at between 10 percent and 20 percentsometimes more.
From Texas to California, were getting $45 to $65 per month in additional rent.
Maintenance
When there are complications with our devices, we must call the merchants support team, not our maintenance staff.
Make sure the supporting staff is available 24-7.
Whatever you do, you have to make it simple for your maintenance team.
What happens if a resident uses their smart phone to unlock their doors, but that smart phone runs out of battery?
Marketing
You must ask yourself: Is this what our residents want, or is all of this technology over their heads?
Having the Internet of Things to point out during leasing tours is really exciting: Lights, music, action!
The Future
It sounds pretty great to have thermostats, light bulbs, ovens and security systems that anticipate our every move. The reality has been something less wonderfula fractured market of occasionally buggy appliances that work with some (but not all) of the systems out there.
Todays consumers worry about privacy. However, they are becoming more willing to share their information if it is explained to them how they will benefit. Dont confuse data capture (through a smart device) with data privacy violation.
There are seven platforms available to consumers. Is this technology future-proof? Hard to say, but it is ripe for a few mergers.