National rollout of new homebuilding approach enabling whole-home Wi-Fi, seamless voice control, online shopping and home automation as standard features
MIAMI (July 20, 2017) – Lennar (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), one of the nation’s largest builders, today debuted the first 12 communities in its national rollout of the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED smart homes featuring integrated automation and voice control with Amazon Alexa – all a part of Lennar’s signature Everything’s Included approach to homebuilding.
Lennar communities in California, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Washington and Nevada are the first built with the new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Home Design™ that guarantees consistent, reliable coverage in every room of the home. This allows buyers to control a wide range of included smart products from the most innovative and reliable manufacturers – including Amazon, Baldwin, Honeywell, Kwikset, Lutron, Ring, Ruckus, Samsung and Sonos.
“There’s no doubt that people are intrigued and excited by the idea of living in a smart home that is totally connected,” said Lennar Chief Operating Officer Jon Jaffe. “But there’s an equal measure of trepidation about installation and reliability. Lennar takes the guess work out of it by curating the best brands and engineering them right into construction to create an entirely new way of living.”
During the design of Lennar Wi-Fi CERTIFIED homes, every floor plan undergoes a rigorous process that includes mapping Wi-Fi signal strength and quality – taking in to consideration building materials and other factors that can affect connectivity. That determines the placement of commercial-grade Ruckus Unleashed access points built right into the home during construction, according to demanding standards set by the Wi-Fi Alliance, the worldwide network of companies that drives the interoperability, adoption, and evolution of Wi-Fi globally.
In addition the significant value Lennar’s signature Everything’s Included program already offers – such as upgraded countertops and appliances – buyers also receive a wide range of smart products from top manufacturers that change the way they live in their new home at no additional cost. For example:
- Luxurious smart front-door lockset and hardware from Baldwin and Kwikset that allows secure, keyless and touch-to-open™ access at the front door. “There will be a wide array of Baldwin Evolved and Kwikset electronic and traditional locks included on these homes, offering homeowners unmatched style, convenience and touch-to-open technology,” said Phil Szuba, president of the Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) division of Spectrum Brands, Inc. “By combining the highest architectural standards with advanced technology, we are helping homeowners unlock a whole new way of living.”
- Ring Video Doorbell giving homeowners a look at who’s at the front door even when they’re not home. “Ring is excited to be part of the revolutionary Wi-Fi CERTIFIED homes designed by Lennar,” said Jamie Siminoff, CEO and Founder of Ring. “Every home will feature Ring’s Elite Video Doorbell to offer residents an unmatched ability to keep tabs on what’s happening at their front door.”
- Smart climate control to keep the home comfortable and allow homeowners to save on energy costs with Honeywell thermostats. “Customers put their trust in Honeywell to help them enjoy peace of mind and savings that are possible with our family of connected thermostats,” said Scott Harkins, vice president, Honeywell Home and Building Technologies. “Our partnership with Lennar’s Wi-Fi Certified homes now make it easy for families to control their thermostats remotely from anywhere on a mobile device. We are excited to offer homeowners a thermostat in every home that delivers comfort when they are home and savings while they are away.”
- Reliable control of lights and window shades from anywhere inside or outside the home from Lutron, the company that’s been reliably dimming the lights in homes and offices for more than 55 years. “The right lighting can transform the look of the room and set the mood for any activity,” said Michael Smith, Vice President of Sales at Lutron. “Lutron smart lighting controls and automated shades give homeowners the power to control both sunlight and the lighting in their home with a simple voice command, or via the Lutron app. This means you’ll always arrive to a well-lit home and can effortlessly create the perfect atmosphere for family movie night or entertaining friends.”
- Wireless music in any room with the Sonos home sound system. “We know that listening to music out loud throughout your home inspires more togetherness and happiness,” said Zack Kramer, Sr. Director, AMPAC Marketing at Sonos. “Our partnership with Lennar’s Wi-Fi Certified Home Initiative makes it even easier for our customers to bring music into any room of their home.”
- Seamless integrated control with iOS or Android devices from anywhere in the world with Samsung SmartThings. “Samsung SmartThings gives homeowners a simple way to automate their daily routines with hundreds of different connected devices, allowing for better control and monitoring of their home from anywhere, with a few taps on their smartphones.” said Bill Lee, Vice President, Smart Home Product Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “From changing the temperature with your voice using Amazon Alexa, to knowing who is ringing your doorbell, or turning on the lights before you arrive home, the possibilities are endless with Samsung SmartThings to make daily life easier for Lennar Wi-Fi CERTIFIED home buyers.”
“Living in a Lennar Wi-Fi CERTIFIED home design creates an experience once reserved for the technologically sophisticated – and now it’s within reach of every Lennar homebuyer at every price point,” Jaffe said. “We’ve engineered a home that weaves the best technology brands into daily life in ways that connect people and truly reflect how they live today.”
Homebuyers can see the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED homes by Lennar this weekend at these communities, with more coming nationwide through 2017:
- Discovery Square in Oak Hill, Virginia
- Storey Park in Orlando, Florida;
- Waterside at the Catawba in Charlotte, North Carolina;
- Hidden Cove and Avery Pointe in Dallas;
- Mare Island near San Francisco;
- Olympia Ridge at Southern Highlands in Las Vegas;
- The Enclave at Blackstone in Sacramento, California;
- Obsidian at Parasol Park in Irvine, California;
- Woodridge Glen, Harbor View Heights and North Creek Ridge in Seattle; and
- Leyden Rock near Denver.
Additional details about and directions to Lennar’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED homes can be found at Lennar.com.
About Lennar
Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation’s largest builders of quality homes for all generations. The Company builds affordable, move-up and retirement homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar’s Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title insurance and closing services for both buyers of the Company’s homes and others. Lennar’s Rialto segment is a vertically integrated asset management platform focused on investing throughout the commercial real estate capital structure. Lennar’s Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. Previous press releases and further information about the Company may be obtained at the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website, www.lennar.com.
