A high priority for most people when they buy a new home is to feel safe, serene and comfortable, not just physically but also emotionally and financially. A home that’s resilient to climate impacts, optimized for performance, supports wellness goals and is affordable for the long-term should be attainable for every buyer.
To demonstrate the viability of designing for long-term value and wellness, Green Builder Media is partnering with Alair Asheville | Red Tree, a member of Alair Homes, North America’s largest custom home building and renovation franchise, to build VISION House Asheville.
This custom home under construction in the Beaverdam community brings together climate-responsive architecture, innovative products and systems and high-performance building science. Among the companies collaborating on this ambitious project is Savant, which will provide smart lighting, shades, energy management and whole-home automation to enhance and simplify the experience of living in a resilient, sustainable home.
“A Savant home is intelligent, energy resilient and sustainable,” says JC Murphy, chief commercial officer at Savant. “We believe that the smart home is a key technology innovation that can benefit both homeowners and the environment.”
Fundamentally, today’s homebuyers understand that long-term value depends on far more than the upfront cost of a home. In fact, Green Builder Media’s COGNITION Smart Data™ surveys found that 92% of consumers consider long-term operating costs when buying or remodeling a home.
Managing the energy systems and intelligent features of a house through automation can lower operating costs and elevate performance.
“A Savant system’s reliability, customization and broad third-party compatibility make it ideal for new construction and high-end renovations alike,” says Murphy. “Our integrated smart power capabilities include energy monitoring, load management and battery storage to help future-proof homes for evolving energy needs and sustainability goals,”
VISION House Asheville is designed around three pillars: wellness architecture, resilience and Value Per Square Foot™, a metric that provides insights for home buyers and owners about generational sustainability. Value Per Square Foot integrates sustainability, resource efficiency, wellness, comfort, equity and investment into measuring what a home is worth.
“By their nature, intelligent homes are energy efficient because they ensure that smart features operate only when, where and how they are needed,” says Murphy. “Rather than relying on homeowners to manually manage their living spaces, out of home control, schedules and other software features can help to easily reduce waste while maintaining comfort.”
At VISION House Asheville, the intuitive award-winning Savant app will serve as a single source of control for the entire home to provide elevated comfort, control, convenience and resilience.
Savant hardware in the house will include:
The Savant app features partner integrations throughout the home allowing for monitoring and control of all Savant and non-Savant smart products with a touch of a button.
VISION House Asheville will have access to Savant’s innovative Daylight Mode feature.
“A circadian rhythm-based smart lighting feature, Daylight Mode automatically adjusts a home’s color temperature and brightness to match the natural daylight outside,” says Murphy. “By mimicking the sun’s natural cycle, it helps support wellness by promoting healthy sleep and wake cycles.”
Via a third-party integration, the Savant app will also monitor and control water leak sensors in the VISION House Asheville to protect it, reduce stress and worry, and help prevent health and safety issues such as mold and mildew growth that can result from undetected water damage.
“The smart capabilities Savant is adding to the VISION House Asheville keeps families well and safe while enhancing sustainability and addressing today’s energy challenges,” says Murphy.
“Savant AI elevates the art of the possible and unleashes an array of new experiences with endless possibilities to improve the relationship a homeowner has with their living spaces,” says Murphy. “Homeowners can now engage with the Savant home through discovery conversations and learn how the tech in the home can help drive energy efficiency, wellness and a host of other benefits that a resilient and sustainable home provides.”
Through the VISION House Asheville project, Savant will demonstrate the role of smart home and energy technologies in a sustainable, resilient home that provides enduring value for its owners.
“We offer cutting-edge and affordable solutions that can help builders deliver a personalized smart home experience and maximum value to their customers,” says Murphy. “Our rapidly expanding Savant AI innovation is evolving home control into an interactive experience where the home operates as a true companion that can educate the owner on smart capabilities and options, anticipate needs, perform tasks, and elevate wellness and sustainability to a whole new level.”