Home builder Brookfield Residential is pushing Apple HomeKit in a new “gigabit” community in Los Angeles, called Ontario Ranch. The home-automation systems are available today in roughly 1,000 homes, but the builder plans to offer the solutions in about 47,000 homes in the next 20 years.
Demonstrated in Brookfield's model homes, the initial HomeKit packages include a Lutron Caseta lighting system, Lutron Serena shades, Honeywell Lyric thermostats.
“At Brookfield Residential we offer home buyers the ability to customize their homes as part of our new home-design experience,” says Brookfield Residential California COO Adrian Foley. “One of the biggest innovative opportunities we see is the ability to offer technology that both adds joy and convenience and also makes a home more energy-efficient. Apple HomeKit, and the new Home app in iOS, embody those principles by offering a simple, secure, and convenient way to control home automation products.”
Home buyers will have the chance to select a complete package and Brookfield will install it prior to the move-in date. The systems will support voice control through Apple Siri, and the iOS 10 support means that homeowners will be able to control all of their smart devices without having to open up a specific app for each item—what once was a drawback of Apple HomeKit.
While HomeKit packages are an option, there is plenty of other technology included in the Brookfield Homes at Ontario Ranch as standard amenities, such as:
- LED lighting in the main living areas
- High-speed (Category 6) Ethernet wiring in the great room, kitchen, bonus room, and master bedroom
- USB outlet in the kitchen
- Multi-zone heating and cooling system with programmable thermostats
The Brookfield homes measure around 3,500 square feet and sell from the low $500,000s to mid $500,000s.
Other builders offering Apple HomeKit as an optional upgrade include KB Home, Lennar Home, and R&F Properties. In addition to its model home at Ontario Ranch, Brookfield will also offer HomeKit at new neighborhoods in Irvine, Calif.
