Smart apartments are going to be a thing. Here’s a major first step: Brilliant, a smart home control company, is hooking up with ButterflyMX, a manufacturer of a smart intercom device, to bring a modern smart home experience to multifamily buildings, gated communities, and apartments. Smart home technology lends itself organically to apartment living but we haven’t really seen it come to life yet. This might be a good first step.
Here’s the deal — Brilliant makes smart home stuff because co-founder Aaron Emigh began remodeling his home and, as he kept adding smart devices, he had to navigate them all over multiple apps (there’s always an app). Frustrated, he partnered up with Steven Stanek and Jeremy Hiatt, two veteran tech entrepreneurs, to simplify all the things. Their goal? To make controlling a smart home as easy as flipping a switch.
Their relationship with ButterflyMX’s Smart Intercom system is designed to integrate the two systems so that renters can not only communicate with visitors and management but also easily control lighting, cameras, locks, and other smart home experiences via an intuitive in-wall touch screen interface with built-in voice and motion control.
“This integration brings the security of knowing who you’re letting into your building with the luxury of a dedicated all-in-one smart home controller,” said Cyrus Claffey, ButterflyMX CEO and co-founder, in a statement. “The affordable price point of the Brilliant Smart Controller means that multifamily property developers, owners, and managers can provide their residents with a living experience unlike any other.”
For renters, it’s pretty great. You’ll never miss a visitor or a delivery, whether you’re at home or not. Anytime anyone pushes the “doorbell” on a Butterfly MX smart intercom system, owners will get an alert via the Brilliant Control platform and can check out via live video who’s at the door, grant building access, and unlock any apartment equipped with a compatible smart lock.
The Brilliant Control device also includes apartment monitoring, regardless of apartment or multifamily access protocols, including a built-in camera and a live feed available via any smartphone or tablet.
“This is an important step forward in realizing our dream of a completely unified smart building and smart apartment experience,” said Aaron Emigh, “Now residents of multifamily properties can see who’s at the door and grant access from any Brilliant Control in their home. This integration opens doors for ButterflyMX and Brilliant to set the standard for what a smart apartment building can and should be moving forward.”
Finally, the Brilliant platform in conjunction with the Butterfly MX smart intercom goes a long way towards turning your place into a smart home. Brilliant’s platform makes it easy for residents and their guests to control compatible smart home products and experiences via Brilliant’s smart home interfaces including touch, voice, and motion control. This includes lighting, music, doorbells, cameras, locks, thermostats, intercoms, and more.
Sure, there’s an app (there’s always an app), but it’s an all-in-one mobile app for iOS and Android. And Brilliant has been busy: The control scheme is compatible with products from brands like Sonos, Ring, Schlage, Honeywell, Philips Hue, Ecobee, and more.
The platform is a bonus for apartment managers, too. While it can be a pain to coordinate workers to come unclog toilets or replace the parts on a dryer, Brilliant-controlled units allow for troubleshooting, ease of scheduling service, and providing access remotely. Rather than competing with run-down rentals with 1980s-era appliances, owners and/or managers can boast of renovated apartments with smart technology that is ahead of its time. That appeal can potentially increase rents and property value, improve renter satisfaction, reduce turnover, and possibly reduce vacancy time.
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