At this year's International Builders' Show (IBS) in Orlando, one of the most talked-about homes was a compact park model bungalow. Built by Cavco Park Models and Cabins, a leading manufacturer of park model homes for RV resorts, campgrounds, and hospitality developments, the bungalow arrived fully equipped with a suite of ABB residential solutions – including the ReliaHome® Smart Panel with load management and Eve smart home devices, from motion sensors and smart switches to connected blinds.
The result: proof that factory-built housing can deliver the same connected, energy-smart experience as high-end custom construction – and that it can be a genuine differentiator in a competitive segment.
Standing out in a niche market
Park models occupy a distinctive corner of the housing industry. Built in manufacturing facilities and deployed in RV resorts, campgrounds, and vacation communities, they are prized for efficiency, consistency, and speed. But in a segment where operators often invest heavily in resort amenities while treating the homes themselves as an afterthought, standing out matters.
“The Eve smart home and ReliaHome portfolio brought really cool, innovative stuff this year that really helps us stand out from others in our segment,” said Ben Flores of Cavco Park Models and Cabins. “I think it's going to turn some heads: hey, this is really cool stuff and we need to be a part of that.”
For Cavco, the appeal goes beyond novelty. Resort operators and development groups routinely spend big on clubhouses, pools, and pickleball courts, yet the rental units – the spaces guests live in – have traditionally offered little to distinguish one property from the next. Smart home technology gives them a way to do that.
“It just brings a higher level of functionality and interaction with the homeowner, or the person renting it, for their family experience,” said Flores. “The ReliaHome load center management gives the ownership group control of the product usage, so they can have an ROI on what they're putting out there and integrate that into future developments.”
The connected guest experience
Inside the bungalow, the ABB portfolio works as one system. Lights come on automatically as guests walk in. Blinds can be programmed to lower each evening, even when a unit isn't rented. Owner-operators can manage energy usage unit by unit, and lock out critical settings so renters can't disrupt them. For hospitality operators, that means lower operating costs, better protection of the asset, and a memorable stay for guests.
“Instead of being able to flip a switch and turn the light on, now people are expecting it to adjust light settings and manage energy usage,” Flores explained. “All this ties into where the industry is going, and it's pushing new boundaries into what we're able to offer folks.”
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Simple from the factory floor
For a manufacturer whose business is built on streamlined, repeatable processes, ease of installation was essential. Because ABB's solutions use standard wiring practices and familiar hardware, Cavco's production team integrated the full system – smart panel, load sensor, breakers, and connected devices.
“We didn't have any issues as far as install. If anything, what stood out was how simple the process was,” said Flores. “It looks complicated, especially the outside load sensor box. But then you look at the installation manual, and everything did what it was supposed to do. Everything was there. It was an easy process.”
That reliability extended to support. With ABB's team on hand to answer questions quickly, integration on the line stayed on schedule, an important consideration for a builder that, in Flores's words, builds nonstop.
“If we had a question, ABB was fantastic as far as response time. It was a smooth experience and that's why I don't have any reservation about continuing to move forward and adding the product into the regular mix,” said Flores. “Good partners like ABB come in and help teach us some of the new technologies. It makes our team better, and it's a fun venture to go in together.”
A new conversation for hospitality
The response at IBS – and at the Southeastern show in Mississippi, where the bungalow traveled next – confirmed the opportunity. Developers, retailers, and community groups toured the home, and one high-end residential builder's video of the house drew more than 100,000 views within days. For Cavco, the interest points to a growing market: nationwide resort and community operators who increasingly see connected, energy-managed homes as part of the guest experience they sell.
“You might pay a little more,” Flores notes, “but your house is so much different than anybody else around you – and the experience you're creating is going to generate the talk on the internet.”