Heating & renewable energy
Smart heat controls: are social landlords warming to IoT heat technology?
Nigel Ebdon of Secure Meters UK Ltd explores the significance of ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) technology and how social landlords benefit from smart heat controls
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ocial landlords are investing in IoT technology to better measure and manage energy use including home energy efficiency, tenant health, safety and welfare, and asset management.
Secure Meters UK Ltd was keen to better understand market expectation
and need, so in early 2018 we commissioned a broad survey of UK social asset, sustainability and energy managers. It has been interesting to observe that once housing professionals grasp the
fundamentals of home sensor and IoT technology they are alive with ideas on how to deploy it across their housing stock. In particular, they comprehend the potential duel value of IoT. Tenants
benefit from greater control, improved customer service and a more responsive, better-informed landlord. Landlords on the other hand are able to make better, evidence based decisions, improve service delivery and efficiency and better manage assets. Tis is certainly true of smart heat controls where tenants can reduce heating
bills through increased control via smart phones, while landlords use remote access to data to better maintain boilers and identify issues such as high humidity and over and under heated homes. Te following breaks down three key questions from the report, along with reaction from Southern Housing Group’s senior home energy advisor Patryk
Szczerba. Patryk and the London based housing association have been assessing a 20 home smart heat control pilot installation over recent months.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF SMART HEAT CONTROLS Interestingly, at a time when cost and efficiency savings are perceived to be at an ever increasing priority for landlords, tenant support and welfare related benefits came out on top, in particular reducing bills and tackling fuel poverty. Patryk Szczerba comments: “I’m actually not surprised by this. Although it
is the asset management value of smart heat controls that could potentially save landlords significant money over time, the most obvious upfront benefit is reducing tenant fuel bills. “Tis is the starting point for many landlords: can the cost of heat be reduced
without compromising the quality of warmth in the home? If the answer to this is yes, then it’s a massive tick in the box.”
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL ASSET MANAGEMENT BENEFITS OF SMART HEAT CONTROLS? We have been long aware of the damaging impact of humidity and subsequent mould growth, and Secure Meters has recently partnered with the University
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM November 2018 | 43
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