Tenant and homeowner expectations in the multi-residential sector are evolving fast. Digital access offers a solution which fits a contemporary ethos blending design, functionality, technology and sustainability.
STAY by Kronos is a fast-growing developer and service provider in Spain’s build-to-rent (BTR) property sector, where business is booming: Investment grew over 17% between 2021 and 2022 alone*. Such high-profile success attracts more providers who compete for location, quality and customer satisfaction in the services they offer. The rental market is tightly regulated, so operational time- and cost-efficiency are essential.
STAY already operate properties in cities including Córdoba and Tarragona and so understand the opportunities offered by digital access. For a new twin-building site in Madrid, they sought convenient, user-friendly, connected control for both homes and common areas including a gym and co-working space.
The solution needed to be convenient and secure for residents — and make it easy for facilities managers to work efficiently with service providers who often require temporary access to the site.
Convenient, secure mobile digital access
STAY by Kronos chose ASSA ABLOY’s SMARTair® wireless digital access solution. Building managers now quickly cancel any lost credentials and issue new ones — remotely if necessary — which reduces operating costs, maintains building security, and provides the flexibility they need every day.
Main door entrances are unlocked via SMARTair Wall Readers. Residents can conveniently access and move through the building with a regular smart card, RFID keyring or the SMARTair Openow app, which stores secure mobile keys on their personal smartphone. Secure, battery-powered i-max Wireless Escutcheons lock 121 apartments and shared amenities (gym, play area and so on) across both buildings. No cabling or major door modification were needed during installation.
For residents, the convenience advantage over metal keys is a big plus: “They have the key virtually on their mobile phone, so we are sure they won’t lose it and they find it very useful,” says Carlos Rodríguez-Bailón Fernández, Managing Director at STAY by Kronos.
From a facilities perspective, SMARTair saves time managing the many providers who offer services to tenants. Programming temporary mobile access to common spaces like a dining boutique via TS1000 Web is fast and intuitive.
Digital locking with a security deadbolt
The SMARTair i-max has inbuilt features designed to enhance security and give residents extra peace of mind. It is easy for them to lock their front door by simply pushing its handle upwards activating the deadbolt projection with a secure 3-bolt lock. Similarly, the i-max anti-panic mechanism guarantees quick emergency exit, even when the door is bolt-secured.
Thanks to these security benefits and feedback on resident satisfaction, SMARTair is now the standard solution for all STAY by Kronos projects — in Madrid, Tarragona and beyond. “With ASSA ABLOY there was always that trust in an established company, a longtime leader in the market with a quality track record,” Carlos adds. “They were also our technology ally.”
To learn more about how digital access solves challenges of managing security for multi-residential buildings, visit www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/solutions/industries/residential/multi-residential
*: www.iberian.property/news/residential/build-to-rent-boosting-housing-investment-in-spain
