Wired for Tomorrow: How the ReliaHome™ Smart Panel Transforms Texas Vacation Home
In Crystal Beach, Texas – a thriving Gulf Coast destination known for its rental homes and vacation getaways – homeowners are demanding more than just stylish architecture and beachfront views. They want homes that are connected, efficient, and future-ready, and energy use is as much a concern as comfort. Managing rising electricity demand from modern appliances and ensuring homeowners have transparency into energy consumption has become a growing priority.
To meet this need, Prestige Custom Builders, a leader in high-end custom residences and second homes, partnered with ABB. At their latest luxury beach house project, they installed a full suite of ABB residential solutions – including the ReliaHome load center, circuit breakers, internal surge protection, AC disconnect , and the highlight of the system: the ABB Smart Panel. The result is a home that blends coastal luxury with smarter, more efficient, and future-ready energy management.
Beyond traditional panels
For homeowners and vacation rental owners alike, transparency and control over energy usage is increasingly important. Each time a property is rented out, electricity usage can fluctuate unpredictably, leaving owners in the dark about consumption and ultimately, costs. The ReliaHome Smart Panel changes this by giving users real-time visibility and wireless control of their home’s energy system through a simple, intuitive app.
The ReliaHome app makes managing high electricity demand loads simple and straightforward. Homeowners can view usage by load or appliance , see notifications when loads are turned on or off, and control circuits remotely via Wi-Fi, all from one intuitive interface. For vacation rentals, this visibility ensures owners know exactly what’s being used and when, helping them manage costs and provide a better experience for guests.
“The Smart Panel allows the customer to monitor their energy usage and consumption, making sure they know how much they’re spending each time they rent out their house,” said Landon Wright, Owner and President of Prestige Custom Builders.
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Simple, flexible, future-ready
Ease of installation was another major advantage. Unlike traditional load centers that often require a service upgrade or separate backup panel when adding new loads, ABB’s ReliaHome Smart Panel enables homeowners to integrate appliances like EV chargers and hot water heaters without major changes.
“I’ve taken care of a few installations already for the system which is very technical-friendly,” said electrician David Mejia. “It’s not time consuming, super simple, super easy to deal with.”
Because the panel is universally compatible with any brand of load center, it can be used in both new builds and retrofit projects – a key advantage for Prestige, which works across custom and spec home developments. In retrofit projects, the ReliaHome Smart Panel can also be installed significantly faster than traditional alternatives, saving valuable time for contractors and reducing disruption for homeowners.
And the need is only growing. According to U.S. Department of Energy projections, over 25 million home EV chargers will be installed by 2030 – equivalent to nearly one in three US. homes . The ReliaHome Smart Panel ensures homeowners are ready for this shift without costly service upgrades.
A broader industry shift
For Prestige, the project also reflects a broader industry shift. Across North and Latin America, builders are facing growing demand for homes that serve today’s lifestyles while adapting to the demands of electrification ahead. From EV adoption to the rise of short-term rentals, electrical infrastructure is becoming a selling point in its own right. With the ReliaHome Smart Panel, Prestige can confidently promise customers a home that is as ready for their changing energy needs as it is luxurious.
Partnerships like the one between Prestige and ABB show how builders, distributors, and technology providers can work together to simplify the adoption of new solutions. Through these collaborations, ABB’s suite of residential products enables builders and homeowners to take energy management into their own hands, from straightforward installation and integration to everyday monitoring and long-term control.
Looking ahead
The success of the Crystal Beach installation has inspired Prestige to expand its use of ReliaHome Smart Panels across future projects.
“We are looking to continue to add ABB’s Smart Panels to our projects, whether it be a custom home build or a spec home build,” added Wright. “We’re looking for ways that we can integrate this system into our homes on a daily basis, allowing our homeowners the ability to control their home wirelessly by Wi-Fi from wherever they are.”