Two houses side by side on Tavistock Lakes Boulevard show what a connected, wellness-focused home can do. Here's what's inside and how to get in the door.
WHIT House and Leviton LIVE are two smart-home demonstration houses next door to each other on Tavistock Lakes Boulevard in Laureate Park, Lake Nona. WHIT, which stands for Wellness Home built on Innovation and Technology, is a 6,000-square-foot triplex led by the Lake Nona Institute that opened for tours in September 2016 and has featured more than 100 products. Leviton LIVE, opened in July 2023 at 8456 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, is Leviton's whole-home showcase of smart lighting, EV charging, smart electrical panels and energy management. Both are open for special events and scheduled appointments; Leviton books private tours mainly for builders and trade professionals. Neither is a model home for sale, and both are demonstration spaces for technology.
Most Lake Nona neighborhoods show off their model homes. Laureate Park has something different: two houses on Tavistock Lakes Boulevard built to show off what a home can do, from lighting that follows your body clock to an electrical panel you control from your phone.
One is WHIT, a wellness-focused research house led by the Lake Nona Institute. The other is Leviton LIVE, a showcase of Leviton's smart electrical products. Here's what each one is and how to see them.
What Is WHIT House?
WHIT, the Wellness Home built on Innovation and Technology, is a 6,000-square-foot demonstration house at 8464 Tavistock Lakes Blvd that shows how home design and technology can support health and well-being.
The Lake Nona Institute led the project, the same nonprofit behind the Lake Nona Impact Forum, and public tours began in September 2016 after two years of development. Craft Homes built the house, originally as a three-unit triplex, with partners including Johnson & Johnson, GE Appliances, Delos, Nemours, GuideWell and UCF's emerging-technology lab. More than 100 products have been featured over the years.
| WHIT House | 8464 Tavistock Lakes Blvd; opened for tours September 2016; about 6,000 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Leviton LIVE | 8456 Tavistock Lakes Blvd; opened July 2023 |
| Neighborhood | Laureate Park, Lake Nona |
| Visiting | Special events and scheduled appointments |
| For sale? | No, both are demonstration houses |
What Technology Is Inside WHIT House?
WHIT centers on sleep, nutrition, fitness and indoor health, with a sleep sanctuary, a wellness kitchen with sanitizing and dynamic lighting, and fitness and relaxation technology.
When it opened, WHIT featured lighting that follows the body's daily rhythm, a sunrise alarm, air filtration and water purification, a vitamin C shower, an interactive GE kitchen island, cork floors, aging-in-place features and an indoor herb garden. View smart windows tint automatically. Current partners include SleepScore, Technogym, Delos, GE Appliances, Leviton, View and Dais, so the technology on display changes as products change.
What Is Leviton LIVE Lake Nona?
Leviton LIVE is Leviton's whole-home smart-technology showcase at 8456 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, next door to WHIT, which opened in July 2023.
Leviton, the electrical-products maker, retrofitted an existing Laureate Park house to show its products working together. On display are Decora Smart Wi-Fi and Decora Evolve lighting controls, motion-sensing switches, USB outlets, EV chargers, a smart load center (the electrical panel) and energy management through the My Leviton app. It's Leviton's second LIVE location, after Chicago.
Can You Visit WHIT House and Leviton LIVE?
Yes, for special events and by scheduled appointment; neither house has walk-in hours.
For WHIT, start with the Lake Nona Information Center at 13630 Sachs Ave., Suite 110, 407.888.6500, or at meetwhit.com. Leviton books private tours, in person or virtual, mainly for builders, architects, contractors and other trade professionals, through leviton.com/LIVE or a Leviton builder sales specialist. Homeowners interested in Leviton products can ask their builder or electrician about arranging a visit.
Why Are They in Laureate Park?
WHIT grew out of Lake Nona's focus on health and technology, and placing it in Laureate Park put it inside a real neighborhood, which is also why Leviton chose the house next door.
Laureate Park is one of Lake Nona's largest neighborhoods, next to Town Center and Medical City. Its homes come with gigabit fiber internet from Dais Technologies, with basic service included in the HOA fee, which makes it a natural place to show off connected-home technology.
What Can Homebuyers Take Away From Them?
The houses are a hands-on way to see which smart-home and wellness features are worth adding to a new or existing home.
Many of the products shown, like smart switches, EV chargers, smart panels and air and water filtration, can be added to a new build or retrofitted into an existing home. Seeing them installed makes it easier to decide what's worth the money. If you're building with one of Lake Nona's home builders, bring your list to the design center. More on Lake Nona technology is in our Lake Nona tech and innovation guide.
Pros, Cons and Our Take
Pros
- Two real, working smart homes you can tour, side by side
- WHIT's focus on sleep, air, water and light goes beyond typical smart-home gadgets
- Leviton LIVE shows practical upgrades like EV chargers and smart electrical panels
- Located in Laureate Park, close to Town Center and Medical City
Cons
- No walk-in hours; visits are by event or appointment only
- Leviton LIVE's tours are aimed mainly at builders and trade professionals
- Product showcases: the featured brands are partners, not an independent review
- Some WHIT features date from its 2016 launch, and the lineup changes over time
Our Take
WHIT and Leviton LIVE are among the most useful innovation sites in Lake Nona for homebuyers, because they show technology you can actually put in a house. Just remember they're showcases for partner brands, so treat them as inspiration, not a buying guide.
If you're building or renovating, booking a visit before your design-center appointment is time well spent.
What the Neighbors Know
Laureate Park residents walk past both houses on Tavistock Lakes Boulevard every day, and most would never guess what's inside. An event there is an easy way to get ideas for your own home.
They're a small, concrete example of Lake Nona's pitch as a place where technology and wellness shape everyday life.
Official Sources
- WHIT (official site)
- Lake Nona: WHIT House
- Leviton: Leviton LIVE residential space opens in Lake Nona (2023)
- Leviton: Leviton LIVE Lake Nona for builders
- Lake Nona Social: Lake Nona opens doors to healthy smart home (2016)
Buying or selling in Lake Nona? Call/Text David Myers at 407.801.3286 or use the contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WHIT House in Lake Nona?
WHIT, the Wellness Home built on Innovation and Technology, is a demonstration house at 8464 Tavistock Lakes Blvd in Laureate Park, led by the Lake Nona Institute. It opened for tours in September 2016 and showcases technology for sleep, nutrition, fitness and indoor health.
What is Leviton LIVE Lake Nona?
Leviton LIVE is Leviton's whole-home smart-technology showcase at 8456 Tavistock Lakes Blvd, next door to WHIT. It opened in July 2023 and demonstrates smart lighting controls, EV chargers, a smart electrical panel and energy management.
Can the public tour WHIT House?
WHIT is open for special events and scheduled appointments. The Lake Nona Information Center at 13630 Sachs Ave., Suite 110, 407.888.6500, is the best place to ask about a visit.
How do I book a Leviton LIVE tour?
Leviton books private in-person or virtual tours through leviton.com/LIVE or a Leviton builder sales specialist. Tours are aimed mainly at builders and trade professionals, and homeowners can ask their builder or electrician to arrange a visit.
Are WHIT House and Leviton LIVE for sale?
No. Both are demonstration houses for technology, not model homes or homes for sale.
