KB Home Reports Higher Demand for Smart Appliances, Connected Security

KB Home had a 44 percent uptick in smart appliance selections by home buyers last year, and more than 25 percent of its home buyers chose to install connected security devices, it emailed Friday. Smart locks and app-connected video security products are being incorporated into homes “in a way that makes sense for consumer’s lifestyles,” said the developer, whose smart home brands include Kwikset smart locks and Google Nest Hello video doorbells. In kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms, KB offers technology from partner companies Whirlpool and Moen. Using apps, consumers can set a “keep warm” setting on an oven, schedule washer cycles and control water temperature before getting into the shower, it said. Moen U users can turn on the shower and set temperature by voice using Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant, it said.