What are Smart Apartments? Learn how residents benefit.

What are smart apartments?

Smart apartments offer renters modern conveniences that add control, security, and energy savings. Some of the most requested technologies include intelligent locks and thermostats. As a result, many communities are starting to offer these amenities in a technology package that include a mobile app, smart home devices, and smart access to building and common areas like the gym or the pool.

Control of smart devices

Residents can control their apartment’s most important features right from the their mobile phone. Features like door locks, thermostats, and lights that are all controlled from anywhere. Forget to lock your front door? No problem, simply tap the lock button in the app.

You can automate features too

Apartment renters are pleasantly surprised when they tour a property that is outfitted with intelligent home technology. Many apartment communities are integrating Alexa into the model units. Imagine walking into a model apartment and saying “Alexa, I’m home.” Then the lights turn on, music plays, and the apartment cools to the perfect temperature. You can even have the door lock behind you. That’s the benefit of home automation.

A smart apartment technology platform ties it all together

In order to tie all of these technologies together, cummunities rely on a smart apartment platform. This ensures seamless integration with property management software, smart devices, and building access control systems.  Community managers use a dashboard to assign automations that reduce manual tasks like turning lights out or adjusting the thermostat in vacant units. Maintenace teams no longer need to change out locks when new resident move in. Instead, smart lock credentials are automatically changed. Making it easier for everyone – residents and on-site teams.

Typical smart devices that are controlled or paired to a resident app:

One smart apartment app vs. multiple apps

Between the automated building entry systems, in-home smart door locks, thermostats, and lights – managing multiple apps and platforms can be extremely challenging. A piecemeal solution only adds to the complexity of managing a property and juggling multiple apps. For instance, let’s say you have Google Nest installed in apartments units, Kwikset or Yale locks on the doors, and a building access control system like Openpath or Butterfly – these are all controled with separtate apps. How do you tie it all together to make things easy for residents?

Consider a smart apartments platform that uses one app to control all smart home devices. Residents appreciate the ability to manage everything from one place – lights, temperature, and the smart lock on the door.

Better resident service

In the old days, when an AC unit went down, residents had to report the issue before any sort of maintenance ticket was created. Today, thanks to automated alerts, maintenace teams receive HVAC, water leak, and high humidity notifications right on there phone when issues arise. In other words, communities can better serve residents in a proactive way, resulting in higher resident satisfaction and longer leases.