As in many big multifamily developments, staff at the Bowman Pointe apartment community oversee a lot of high-tech equipment across multiple buildings and several acres of land: 20 TVs, 30 zones of audio, 10 climate zones, and more than 40 lighting dimmers, to be exact. Controlling all of these devices at the Little Rock, Ark., community could take hours, but thanks to a new technology system, the staff has one-click control over each task.
“I would lose several hours each day if all of the property’s technology were controlled individually,” says community director Shelley Ellis. A new Elan Entertainment & Control system installed by local integrator Sound Concepts allows her to scroll through an app and double-check that everything turns on and off and is set as it’s supposed to be.
Through the app, staff can control the electronics in every public space on the property, including the indoor and outdoor TVs, audio with more than 150 speakers, security with more than 75 surveillance cameras, climate, lighting, irrigation, an outdoor movie theater, heaters, and fire pits. To make changes, residents call the concierge, and a staff member can either enact the requested changes remotely or visit the resident if assistance is required. Management can easily set different levels of access for staff members.
Managed by Richardson Properties, Bowman Pointe boasts Arkansas’ largest privately owned pool, built in a Las Vegas style with surrounding cabanas, fire pits, and a clubhouse. Other on-site amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, 16-seat commercial-grade movie theater, poker lounge with casino-style tables, wine cellar, business center, tanning bed, sports lounge with billiards and shuffleboard tables, pet park with an agility training course, and more.
“Bowman Pointe is a resort-style community,” Ellis says. “At a resort, the guests are pampered and expect only the best and most helpful service from resort staff. That’s how we operate here, and technology is a big reason we can be so efficient and offer these services and amenities for reasonably priced apartments.”
Efficiency is a big advantage of the system as well. There are no thermostats anywhere on the premises, as temperature is monitored by sensors throughout the buildings and controlled through the app.
Not only are there pre-programmed schedules that automatically adjust lights, TVs, climate controls, and more, but pre-programmed ‘scenes’ allow staff to make rapid changes on a large scale. The night concierge staff uses a “clubhouse evening” scene to automatically set all the pool lights and front sign with one button. Another valuable addition is the integration of intercoms with the Elan system, so Ellis can make announcements through the property’s speakers from her iPhone when the pool or concierge is closing, or in case of an emergency.
“I can look at every public space, every TV, every light, and even view the surveillance camera feeds,” she says. “By creating automated schedules for everything from the music to the irrigation system, the staff and I have more time to focus on residents’ requests and our regular duties.”
