Featured Member – Intelligent Living Solutions

The age of smart home automation technology is well-rooted in our lives, and many people are incorporating these comforts and conveniences into their homes and businesses. From safety and security to custom lighting and audio solutions, smart home automation technology has found a place in our homes and in Zionsville’s Village.

“When zWORKS moved out of the space on Cedar Street, we were thrilled to see that zWORKS member, Intelligent Living Solutions, would be moving in and transforming the former coworking space into their new Smart Home Experience Center,” says zWORKS Executive Director, Vickie Hall. “This is truly our mission in action and exactly what we hope for when startups come to zWORKS and grow into their own spaces”

Showcasing the options and opportunities to incorporate smart home technology, Intelligent Living Solutions has come full circle from a coworking space startup to zWORKS graduate. This idea that turned into reality was a long time in the making.

Instead of playing with GI Joes as a kid, Intelligent Living Solutions’ owner Dan Killinger says he took apart radios, phones, and any electronics he could get his hands on. He then figured out other ways to put them back together to make them work. Dan owned and operated his own handyman business while in college at Ball State University, where he earned a degree in landscape architecture. He worked in the construction, home renovation, and landscape design industries and owned his landscape and pool design/construction company.

“Many of my clients were requesting more technology in their outdoor living spaces, so I was doing a lot with outdoor lighting and audio,” says Dan. “As the technology got more sophisticated, I realized there was an opportunity to do more. I enjoyed applying the same concepts to indoor spaces, so I decided to focus my new business on smart home automation and include both indoor and outdoor solutions.”

Dan founded Intelligent Living Solutions in 2013. Over the last ten years, he has expanded commercial and builder partnerships to include customized automation designs for new builds and renovations. The Intelligent Living Solutions team has grown to include ten professionals.

Dan didn’t always envision the Smart Home Experience Center, but he knew he had to start small before growing into a space of his own. zWORKS allowed him to keep his overhead low and build the business while giving him a space to meet with clients.

“We needed a space that would allow us to meet with clients and show them the possibilities,” Dan said. “The relationships I built at zWORKS allowed me to become a part of the Zionsville Village community and access resources that ultimately helped me succeed and build my business.”

As the business has grown, so has the technology powering these solutions. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s at work behind the walls or in the ceiling. That’s the mission, according to Intelligent Living Solutions. Installation of smart home technology by unskilled hands isn’t necessarily attractive. Even in small quantities, cords and equipment can be disorganized and unsightly. At Intelligent Living Solutions, the team uses wireless solutions and behind-the-scenes installation, offering effective and beautiful solutions.

This is why the Smart Home Experience Center is so helpful in showcasing the possibilities. You get to see the technology at work, especially when it is installed professionally by an Intelligent Living Solutions technician.

“I had been thinking about how valuable a place like the Smart Home Experience Center would be to showcase the technology, and one day I came to work out of the zWORKS space and saw a for rent sign in the window,” Dan mentioned. “It was the first time I got excited about a space and could envision the Smart Home Experience Center coming to fruition. After starting our business out of zWORKS, it was serendipitous that we could take over this pace and make it a reality.”

Each room of the 1,500 square-foot Smart Home Experience Center is fully decorated and features the most innovative technologies available for home and business owners, including:

  • An access control system.
  • Fully automated lighting control customized for the time of day, season, and mood of each room.
  • High-tech, audio-visual systems, including hidden speakers.
  • In-shower television system.
  • Safe room and gun safe programmed to open via automation.
  • Wall mounted and kitchen island keypad controls.

The Smart Home Experience Center will open on September 21. Tours are typically by appointment only, so you get undivided attention and see all the possibilities you can incorporate into your new or existing home. Fortunately, zWORKS members and guests get a sneak peek at the zWORKS September Happy Hour on September 28 at 4:30 p.m. If you can’t make September Happy Hour or want a more in-depth tour, you can make an appointment online.