The battle for smart home supremacy is on.
Nationwide homebuilder KB Home is rolling out a new smart home model powered by Google technology, in what looks like an answer to the Amazon-powered design recently debuted by Lennar.
Centered around artificial intelligence assistant Google Assistant, homes outfitted with the KB Smart Home System can use phones or voice commands to play songs, control thermostats and view a video feed of their front step, among other things.
The nuts and bolts include the Google Wifi “mesh” network that delivers reliable wireless internet service, voice-controlled smart speakers Google Home and Google Home Mini and a Nest Hello Video Doorbell.
Homebuyers will also be able to slap on a range of other products, such as connected appliances, light controls, motorized window shades and door locks.
New home sales in certain communities in Denver, Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Florida and Orange County, California will include the system. Buyers can also purchase system components at KB Home Design studios in those markets.
KB Homes is showcasing the system at its Stapletown Starlight Collection community in Denver. Prospective buyers, agents and others in the Denver area can see the technology in action by visiting an open house on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stapleton Starlight Collection, located at 9301 59th North Place in Denver.
The new smart system looks like KB Home’s answer to a smart home model recently introduced by Lennar Corporation. The homebuilder unveiled a smart home design in May that bakes together Amazon’s artificial intelligence assistant, Alexa, and various other smart home devices from Amazon, such as Echo Show and Echo Dot.
Lennar also said all of its new homes would include built-in Wi-Fi, smart locks, doorbells, thermostats and lights controlled by Alexas — which could add up to 35,000 new smart homes by the end of the year, according to USA Today.
