One Platform, Total Control: How Affina Miami Unified the Resident Experience with ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA®

Affina Miami consolidated all property access points using ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®, providing a seamless experience for residents and streamlining property management operations.

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Highlights

Challenges: Creating a flexible, easy-to-manage, mobile-first experience for a new development

Solution: ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® cloud-based platform

Results: A frictionless, mobile-first experience that drastically reduces manual workload for property managers

The development team behind Affina Miami set out to build a modern multi-family residential community where city meets serenity. The easy part was creating thoughtful apartment and townhome designs that blend contemporary style with classic warmth. The bigger challenge was finding an access control solution that could unify every touchpoint, from gates and visitor management to amenities and unit entry.

Finding a fully connected access control ecosystem

From day one, Affina wanted a system that would work just as well for residents and visitors as it did for staff. They turned to their installation partner, Perimeter Access Controls, for suggestions. The team was quick to recognize the lasting value of a singular ecosystem and knew just the manufacturer for the job.

“The developer wanted a user-friendly platform that was easy for residents and easy for management, and ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® Digital checked every box,” says Certified Integrator Bill Grenfell. “For a ground-up project like Affina, it gave us everything we needed from telephone entry to unit locks to parking access, all in one package.”

ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® is a cloud-based access control solution that can manage an entire property with one credential and one software. The solution’s comprehensive integrations wetr a huge deciding factor for the developer and the installation team, and ASSA ABLOY’s go-to approach aligned perfectly with Affina’s vision.

Beyond the technology, the development team found that sourcing everything from a single manufacturer made the purchasing process much easier, as the team didn’t have to coordinate multiple quotes and shipping schedules from different vendors.

Where other vendors needed two or three systems to achieve the same level of coverage, ASSA ABLOY supports unit doors, common areas, guest entry devices, and vehicle gates from one platform—delivering the ideal experience.

Modern access, seamlessly integrated

Affina soon implemented several solutions within ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®, including:

• DoorBird for easy touchscreen-enabled visitor entry
• Control iD for simplified but effective vehicle gate access
• ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® mobile credentials
• nexTouch^® smart locks
• Cloud-based dashboards for management

“Visitors interact with DoorBird first. It’s clean, intuitive, and makes it easy for residents to see who’s at the gate through the ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® app,” Grenfell said. “Control iD has been flawless. Cars flow through the gates without stopping, and everything communicates through the cloud. No need for structured cabling.”

DoorBird and Control iD are thoughtfully integrated into ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®, as opposed to being an afterthought. When a guest rings a unit, the resident receives a notification in the same app they use for building entry. One dashboard controls everything, making resident life easier and more intuitive.

Less anxiety, more peace of mind for residents

Today, the ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® mobile app is an integral part of resident life.

“I would say 100% of residents are using the mobile app and their OnePIN code,” said Affina Property Manager Hanaly Llanes. “They love being able to leave their keys behind when going to the gym or walking their dog. Everything they need is on their phone.”

This level of convenience also extends to guests. When they arrive, they simply call a resident via DoorBird, who then confirms the guests’ identity and remotely unlocks the door—all in the ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® app.

The nexTouch® smart locks also support Resident Managed Access^®, which lets residents easily create temporary PIN codes or mobile invites for trusted visitors as needed. Whether it’s a cleaner, delivery person, dog walker, or caregiver, anyone can securely access the right unit. These options give residents a stronger sense of security and peace of mind. In addition to knowing only authorized people are on the property, the capabilities also mean people don’t have to worry about getting locked out.

“One resident went out to walk his dog and realized he forgot his keys. But because he had his phone, he was able to get back into his apartment with no problem,” Llanes said.

Simplifying access and operations

With ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®, Affina property managers now have granular control over schedules and permissions, completely removing the need for traditional keys or broad access.

“My pool vendor only needs access to the pool gates. ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® lets me isolate exactly which doors they can use,” Llanes said. “With previous systems, I had to give vendors access to the entire building.”

In addition to appropriate access controls, the management team has the flexibility to instantly change access for common areas. If gym hours change or someone reserves a community room, the team can update those permissions with just a few clicks. The result is enhanced security, a smoother workflow, and fewer operational interruptions. The maintenance team loves it too. Lockouts have dropped significantly because residents can use their PIN or phone, which means no one has to stop what they’re doing to let residents back into their unit. Temporary workers can move faster, too.

“Vendors who arrive early can get onto the property without waiting for staff,” Llanes said.

Property managers have a lot to handle, and ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® makes their work easier.

“New move-ins take about 10 minutes to set up. Everything is intuitive,” Llanes said. “If a lock battery runs low, we’re notified before it becomes a problem. And having all historical access information in one place is a major advantage.”

Smoother installations backed by tangible support

Affina’s installation took place over several months as each building finished. It could’ve been a complicated deployment, but ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® made it manageable.

“ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® has taken the learning curve out of building a system like this,” Grenfell said. “Once everything is installed according to the instructions, it all just works. DoorBird talks to ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®, Control iD talks to ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^®. It’s seamless.”

The integration team further praised ASSA ABLOY for how quickly they responded to a glitch related to a third-party iOS update. Within a day, their engineers had released a patch that solved the issue.

“Tech support is the biggest advantage ASSA ABLOY has. You call, and a real person can remote in, audit the controller, and fix the issue on the spot. Other vendors can’t match that,” Grenfell said.

A platform built with longevity in mind For Affina, ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® is more than just a single solution. It’s a continuously evolving ecosystem with more potential to enhance the development.

“We’ve already been contracted to install ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® on the next high-rise,” Grenfell said. “And we’re excited to expand into elevator control next.”

From the easy installation and convenient mobile access to world-class support, ASSA ABLOY ACCENTRA^® is everything Affina wanted. It’s proven to be a next-level solution for developers, residents, and property managers alike.

“Everything is working the best it could and the way it should. I currently have 110 residents, and there are no complaints,” Llanes said.