Let There Be Light

SEE CLEARLY NOW: At the Parade of Homes in Fort Collins, Colo., KEM Homes rolled out Colorado vNet's automated lighting system.

KEM Homes took a step toward new home technology when it showed Colorado vNet's lighting automation system at the Parade of Homes show in its hometown of Fort Collins, Colo.

Caroline Katolik, the builder's interior designer, says the 3,480-square-foot show home featured Colorado vNet's lighting system in all major rooms of the show home, including the dining room, master bedroom, den, kitchen, and master bath suite.

“Lighting automation used to be prohibitively expensive, but now we can offer lighting for all those rooms for about $15,000,” says Katolik.

KEM Homes will offer the vNet system as an upgrade. “It's not something we're prepared to offer as a standard,” says Katolik. The builder's homes start at about $500,000.

Paul Kenline, spokesman for Colorado vNet, says the vendor keeps prices down by offering an expandable system that lets builders start small. Plus, Colorado vNet requires much less custom coding than traditional home control systems. (www.coloradovnet.com)