LAKE FOREST, Calif. –July 23, 2013 Shout it from the mountain top: home automation is reaching new heights -- 26,906 feet, to be exact. 

That's the height of Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world. And that's where an amateur mountain climber will demonstrate the home automation capabilities of Z-Wave using a variety of devices powered by Z-Wave technology. By virtue of the remote location, rugged environmental condition, and lack of technical support capabilities, it is being dubbed the "most remote home automation demonstration ever recorded."

The climb Cho Oyu and the subsequent demonstration -- officially titled the "Z-Wave Himalayan Expedition by Kwikset®" -- will be performed by named Mariusz Malkowski, a 40-year-old technical services manager at Sigma Designs, a member of the 200-member Z-Wave Alliance. Malkowski has climbed world-class mountains on four continents, many of them by himself. Using no supplemental oxygen, Malkowski is scheduled to begin his ascent on September 10 and will conclude his descent on or around October 6. 

From the top of the mountain and using only his smartphone, Malkowski will control various home automation scenes set up in the Z-Wave booth at the CEDIA Expo in Denver -- over 7,000 miles away. Scenes will include locking and unlocking a Kwikset SmartCode™ 914 Deadbolt with Home Connect™ technology and adjusting temperature on his Remotec Thermostat, as well as controlling other Z-Wave Devices. The purpose is to show end-users the dependability of Z-Wave technology, as well as highlighting the benefits of home automation.

The CEDIA Expo -- known as the leading tradeshow in the residential electronic systems industry -- is being held from September 28-30, 2013. The exact date and time of the demonstration are to be determined, depending on the pace of Malkowski's ascent. Weather permitting, Malkowski plans to broadcast a live video remote from the mountain summit to the show location so that Expo attendees can watch the demonstration. 

Kwikset, the leader in residential security, was named as the lead (Diamond) sponsor of the event. According to Keith Brandon, Kwikset's Director of Residential Access Solutions, the expedition helps spread the message and benefits of home automation in a visually captivating way that is difficult to duplicate. 

"It's one thing to tell homeowners about home automation and its capabilities; it's quite another to demonstrate those capabilities in such a dramatic setting," said Brandon. "With our SmartCode locks with Home Connect people may know that they can be locked and unlocked remotely via their smartphones or other web-enabled device. But actually watching them being operated from the sixth highest mountain in the world really drives the point home."

Additional sponsors include: Vivint (Platinum); Z-Wave Alliance (Platinum); Alarm.com (Gold); Remotec (Silver); and Z-Wave Products (Silver). Cho Oyu, which means "Turquoise Goddess" in Tibetan, is the westernmost major peak of the Khumbu sub-section of the Mahalangur Himalaya, 20 kilometers west of Mount Everest. The mountain stands on the Tibet-Nepal border.

Interested observers can follow all the details of the expedition on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ZWaveHimalayanExpeditionByKwikset or at http://www.facebook.com/kwiksetlocks. 

About Kwikset
Kwikset (www.kwikset.com), the leader in residential security, manufactures and markets a complete line of door locks and door hardware, including door knobs, door levers, deadbolts, handlesets, pocket door hardware and electronic keyless entry locks for residential and light commercial applications. Kwikset’s SmartCode™ locks with Home Connect™ technology are the industry’s leading wireless, access control lock solution for the digital home.

About HHI
Kwikset is part of Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI), a major manufacturer and supplier of residential locksets, residential builders’ hardware and faucets with a portfolio of renowned brands, including Kwikset®, Weiser®, Baldwin®, National Hardware®, Stanley®, FANAL®, Pfister™ and EZSET®. HHI is a leader in its key markets with #1 positions in U.S. residential locksets (Kwikset), Canada residential locksets (Weiser), U.S. luxury locksets (Baldwin), and U.S. builders’ hardware (Stanley-National Hardware), #2 in Mexico residential hardware (Fanal), and #3 in U.S. retail plumbing (Pfister). Headquartered in Orange County, California, HHI has a global sales force and operates manufacturing and distribution facilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Asia. HHI is a division of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPB). 

About Spectrum Brands
Spectrum Brands is a global, diversified consumer products company and a leading supplier of consumer batteries, residential locksets, residential builders’ hardware and faucets, shaving and grooming products, personal care products, small household appliances, specialty pet supplies, lawn and garden and home pest control products, and personal insect repellents. Spectrum Brands employs over 12,500 employees worldwide and sells to the top 25 global retailers with products in more than one million stores.