Members of the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce received a glimpse into the future of homebuilding and home automation at Holland Homes’ Northwoods neighborhood on May 24 at the organizations’ Business After Hours event.

The event was held at the neighborhood’s recently finished model home, and about 100 attendees from local companies were provided the first look at Auburn’s first Smart Neighborhood® build.

“We were humbled to host the After Hours event at our Northwoods model home to celebrate the beginning of this cutting-edge neighborhood with our community partners,” said Daniel Holland, president of Holland Homes. “I am proud of my team for their hard work and dedication to the project so far. We cannot wait for families to experience the beauty of these homes, along with the difference technology and energy efficiency provide.”

Holland Homes is partnering with Alabama Power to develop Northwoods as a Smart Neighborhood community as part of the new Builder Program. All homes will be designed to make customers’ lives more comfortable, convenient and connected through features that can be managed by smart devices and voice activation. Energy-efficiency will be a key part of the neighborhood, and each home will be built with advanced energy products.

At the event, representatives from Holland Homes, Prestige Properties and Alabama Power were onsite giving tours and demonstrating the smart home automation.

The tour included stops to showcase the home’s advanced features, such as scenes linked through Vivint Smart Home that turn on lights, lock doors, open shades, provide a traffic report and play music all after a voice command to Google Home.

The first of 51 homes is complete in Northwoods, the first Smart Neighborhood® to be developed in Auburn. All homes will have automated smart home features, energy-efficient construction and smart appliances. (contributed)

An electric car is on display in the garage of the first Northwoods Smart Neighborhood® home in Auburn. (contributed)

Members of the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce get a look at the first Northwoods smart home. (contributed)

The first of 51 homes is complete in Northwoods, the first Smart Neighborhood® to be developed in Auburn. All homes will have automated smart home features, energy-efficient construction and smart appliances. (contributed)

A sophisticated home security system is just the beginning of the high-tech features incorporated into Smart Neighborhood® homes. (contributed)

Members of the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce get a look at the first Northwoods smart home. (contributed)

A smart stove. (contributed)

High-tech features are placed throughout the Smart Neighborhood® home in Northwoods. (contributed)

A heat pump water heater is among the energy-efficient features in a Smart Neighborhood® home. (contributed)

High-tech features are placed throughout the Smart Neighborhood® home in Northwoods. (contributed)

Nest Learning thermostats help save energy and provide more control over the home’s temperature when the owner is at home or away. (contributed)

Members of the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce get a look at the first Northwoods smart home. (contributed)

Booklets explain exactly what makes a Smart Neighborhood® home smart. (contributed)

High-tech features are placed throughout the Smart Neighborhood® home in Northwoods. (contributed)

A smart refrigerator is among the appliances in the smart home’s kitchen. (contributed)

Members of the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce check out a kitchen filled with smart appliances. (contributed)

Attendees heard information on energy efficiency features that helped the home rate about 35 percent more efficient than homes built in 2010, including the heat pump water heater and enhanced building features such as spray foam insulation, low-E windows and LED light bulbs. The tour also included an induction cooking demo and information on electric vehicles.

“We were thrilled to partner for this event to show off the first home of Holland Homes’ upcoming Smart Neighborhood build in Auburn,” said Caitlin Hilliard. “We enjoyed walking attendees through how these features can improve their lives by being able to easily control their homes’ features whether they are at home or away.”

Construction on Northwoods’ 51 homes will begin soon.

Each smart home in the neighborhood will feature:

• Google Home smart speakers for voice control of the home.
• Nest Learning thermostats to help save energy and provide more control over the home’s temperature when the owner is at home or away.
• Advanced energy-efficient building features: improved insulation, high-efficiency heat pump and water heater and Energy Star appliances.

In addition to Holland Homes, two additional builders are planning Smart Neighborhood developments this year. Harris Doyle Homes will build another community in Auburn and Curtis White Companies has one planned for Leeds.

Learn more about current projects and Alabama Power’s Smart Neighborhood Builder Program at www.apcsmartneighborhood.com.