Houston apartment company on 6 smart home technologies for renters

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Optimize you home with these smart technologies. Photo courtesy of Caydon

With recent changes to the ways we work and live, the importance of smart home technology in apartment complexes is becoming more important than ever. Residents not only want to streamline their lifestyles, but are looking for ways to limit contact when performing interactions.

A great example of smart home technology can be found at Drewery Place in Midtown. Built by Australian property developer Caydon, Drewery Place is at the forefront of smart home technology, providing residents with plenty of options to simplify their lifestyles in contactless style. Below are just some of the smart home features that residents in this tech savvy development enjoy.

Latch keyless entry

Fumbling for your keys is a thing of the past. Now you can use your phone to open not only your apartment door, but also resident-only areas such as the fitness center, pool area and pet park.

Smart thermostats

Come home to the perfect climate with smart thermostat technology. Now you can flick on the heat or blast in the cool as you can control the temperature from anywhere on your phone.

Set the scene

You know those days when things are just a little too bright? Or maybe you want to lighten the mood a little? Whatever you're feeling, get your lighting to match it with dimmer and lighting controls on your phone. There's also a host of pre-programmed lighting scenes so you can set the mood for any occasion.

Alexa — your new best friend

All of Drewery Place's apartments are wired and ready for Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa. Using voice control, you can get Alexa to adjust lighting, play your favorite music, summon an Uber and even order Amazon packages.

Caydon HQ

All residents at Drewery Place can pay their rent, request a maintenance repair, book amenities, organize a dog walker or request a Spruce chore such as a deep clean for their apartment. You can also get notifications from the concierge on when packages arrive and arrange contactless pickup from the downstairs mail lockers.

Get physical

Not into group classes? Organize a training session for one, anytime at the fitness center using MIRROR gym technology. This is literally a magic mirror, where a virtual trainer will train with you in the class of your choice. There's over 20+ categories to choose from, plus they'll correct your form in real-time — so you get personalized attention minus the class numbers.

The staff at Drewery Place are also taking extra precautions to help stop the spread of COVID-19 with regular deep cleanings, social distancing protocol and signage throughout the building. If you want to learn more, you can organize a personal tour complete with masks and social distancing.

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Emma Alexander is acting chief of operations and director of sales and marketing for Caydon.

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Intuitive Machines to acquire NASA-certified deep space navigation company

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Houston-based space technology, infrastructure and services company Intuitive Machines has agreed to buy Tempe, Arizona-based aerospace company KinetX for an undisclosed amount.

The deal is expected to close by the end of this year, according to a release from the company.

KinetX specializes in deep space navigation, systems engineering, ground software and constellation mission design. It’s the only company certified by NASA for deep space navigation. KinetX’s navigation software has supported both of Intuitive Machines’ lunar missions.

Intuitive Machines says the acquisition marks its entry into the precision navigation and flight dynamics segment of deep space operations.

“We know our objective, becoming an indispensable infrastructure services layer for space exploration, and achieving it requires intelligent systems and exceptional talent,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said in the release. “Bringing KinetX in-house gives us both: flight-proven deep space navigation expertise and the proprietary software behind some of the most ambitious missions in the solar system.”

KinetX has supported deep space missions for more than 30 years, CEO Christopher Bryan said.

“Joining Intuitive Machines gives our team a broader operational canvas and shared commitment to precision, autonomy, and engineering excellence,” Bryan said in the release. “We’re excited to help shape the next generation of space infrastructure with a partner that understands the demands of real flight, and values the people and tools required to meet them.”

Intuitive Machines has been making headlines in recent weeks. The company announced July 30 that it had secured a $9.8 million Phase Two government contract for its orbital transfer vehicle. Also last month, the City of Houston agreed to add three acres of commercial space for Intuitive Machines at the Houston Spaceport at Ellington Airport. Read more here.

Japanese energy tech manufacturer moves U.S. headquarters to Houston

HQ HOU

TMEIC Corporation Americas has officially relocated its headquarters from Roanoke, Virginia, to Houston.

TMEIC Corporation Americas, a group company of Japan-based TMEIC Corporation Japan, recently inaugurated its new space in the Energy Corridor, according to a news release. The new HQ occupies the 10th floor at 1080 Eldridge Parkway, according to ConnectCRE. The company first announced the move last summer.

TMEIC Corporation Americas specializes in photovoltaic inverters and energy storage systems. It employs approximately 500 people in the Houston area, and has plans to grow its workforce in the city in the coming year as part of its overall U.S. expansion.

"We are thrilled to be part of the vibrant Greater Houston community and look forward to expanding our business in North America's energy hub," Manmeet S. Bhatia, president and CEO of TMEIC Corporation Americas, said in the release.

The TMEIC group will maintain its office in Roanoke, which will focus on advanced automation systems, large AC motors and variable frequency drive systems for the industrial sector, according to the release.

TMEIC Corporation Americas also began operations at its new 144,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Brookshire, which is dedicated to manufacturing utility-scale PV inverters, earlier this year. The company also broke ground on its 267,000-square-foot manufacturing facility—its third in the U.S. and 13th globally—this spring, also in Waller County. It's scheduled for completion in May 2026.

"With the global momentum toward decarbonization, electrification, and domestic manufacturing resurgence, we are well-positioned for continued growth," Bhatia added in the release. "Together, we will continue to drive industry and uphold our legacy as a global leader in energy and industrial solutions."

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This article originally appeared on EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

2 Texas cities named on LinkedIn's inaugural 'Cities on the Rise'

jobs data

LinkedIn’s 2025 Cities on the Rise list includes two Texas cities in the top 25—and they aren’t Houston or Dallas.

The Austin metro area came in at No. 18 and the San Antonio metro at No. 23 on the inaugural list that measures U.S. metros where hiring is accelerating, job postings are increasing and talent migration is “reshaping local economies,” according to the company. The report was based on LinkedIn’s exclusive labor market data.

According to the report, Austin, at No. 18, is on the rise due to major corporations relocating to the area. The datacenter boom and investments from tech giants are also major draws to the city, according to LinkedIn. Technology, professional services and manufacturing were listed as the city’s top industries with Apple, Dell and the University of Texas as the top employers.

The average Austin metro income is $80,470, according to the report, with the average home listing at about $806,000.

While many write San Antonio off as a tourist attraction, LinkedIn believes the city is becoming a rising tech and manufacturing hub by drawing “Gen Z job seekers and out-of-state talent.”

USAA, U.S. Air Force and H-E-B are the area’s biggest employers with professional services, health care and government being the top hiring industries. With an average income of $59,480 and an average housing cost of $470,160, San Antonio is a more affordable option than the capital city.

The No. 1 spot went to Grand Rapids due to its growing technology scene. The top 10 metros on the list include:

  • No. 1 Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • No. 2 Boise, Idaho
  • No. 3 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  • No. 4 Albany, New York
  • No. 5 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • No. 6 Portland, Maine
  • No. 7 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
  • No. 8 Hartford, Connecticut
  • No. 9 Nashville, Tennessee
  • No. 10 Omaha, Nebraska

See the full report here.

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