New in resi market: Black & Decker

ORLANDO, Fla.--Black & Decker made its first foray into the residential security market with the launch at ISC West of a new wireless lock that integrates with home alarm and home automation systems.

With keyless locks it's introduced over the past few years, “we've been migrating into access control in the residential space,” said Dave Albert, vice president brand marketing and business development, Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement. When Black & Decker began exploring how its locks could interact with other home systems, “the first system that clearly comes to mind is the security system and when we began to research residential alarms, we learned that [an alarm system can typically] tell whether a door is closed, but not whether it's locked or unlocked.”

At its ISC West booth, Black & Decker demonstrated how the lock integrates with GE Security, DSC, iControl and HAI. Other partners include Control4, Creston and AMX.

“Our strategy is to work with anyone that wants to integrate with us,” he said. While the lock does not integrate directly with Honeywell systems at this time, it can integrate with Honeywell or any other security system “by using a home control system [such as Control4] as a hub that integrates the lock with the security system.”

The lock can “communicate the status of the door, whether it's locked or unlocked,” to the homeowner, Albert explained. The doors can be locked via remote control in the home, Web-enabled mobile phone, alarm panel or via Internet. The lock can be configured to control multiple home automation systems, and will be marketed under  B&D's Baldwin & Kwikset brands.