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Arrow Electronics Teams With Customers and Suppliers To Bring Smart Technology to Affordable Housing Market

ARW | 3 days ago

CENTENNIAL, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 14, 2024 / With support from a broad coalition of employees, customers, suppliers and the community, Arrow is helping Habitat for Humanity build a one-of-a-kind, affordable smart home development in Aurora, Colo. The Mountain View Community Homes are designed to serve as a new model of affordable homebuilding, one that not only provides homeowners with more sustainable homes, but greater long-term stability.

More than 60 million U.S. homes are equipped with smart home technology. Yet the devices are less common in affordable housing projects due to cost and connectivity issues. Arrow Electronics is hoping to change that.

Each of the community's 20 homes will include a comprehensive suite for smart devices designed to reduce energy, help ensure security, conserve water and save money. Reducing housing expenses is crucial for Habitat residents, according to Jaime Gomez, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, because it allows homeowners to allocate funds to other essential needs, such as health care and transportation.

"Every dollar really counts. So, when you're talking about smart thermostats or smart sprinkler systems that allow our homeowners to save money, that's really important because then that leads to even greater stability," said Gomez.

Arrow customers Resideo and Rachio are helping homeowners save money by donating smart home products to the Mountain View development. Resideo is supplying its Honeywell Home and First Alert solutions to enhance safety, energy efficiency and comfort inside the homes, while Rachio is donating smart sprinkler controllers and smart hose timers to make it easier for homeowners to maintain their yards without wasting water.

Arrow supplier SiliconLabs, which also develops wireless technology to help smart home devices communicate with mobile phones and virtual assistants, is playing a key role. In addition to providing components for Resideo products, the company is donating tablets to each home, pre-loaded with Resideo's First Alert app to allow homeowners to conveniently control their devices.

"Habitat, Arrow and our team joining forces is just one example of how we can come together to create meaningful change in our communities. This is only the beginning of the impact that we can have by integrating innovation with purpose," said Jake Alamat, Silicon Labs senior vice president of Home and Life Business.

Employees of Resideo, Rachio and SiliconLabs have also volunteered alongside Arrow team members at the Mountain View Homes site. Arrow employees have contributed nearly 600 hours to building the development.

"It's a blessing and I am just so thankful for everything that people are doing for us homeowners," said Gladys, a future Habitat homeowner, who will move to Mountain View with her husband and four children.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for thousands of leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2023 sales of $33 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that help improve business and daily life. Learn more at arrow.com.