Home Automation
Using IoT sensors to improve tenants’ health and wellbeing
IoT devices are increasingly being deployed to assess conditions within the home, meaning damp, mould and other problems can be dealt with before they become a problem. Sam Collier, head of market intelligence at Aico|HomeLINK, explains further.
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anuary 2024 brought with it the energy price cap rise from £1,834 per year to £1,928. That 5% increase in energy bills means many UK residents are less able to afford to heat their homes. Adequately warm temperatures are critical to the health of home dwellers and their homes. Increasingly, IoT devices are being utilised to ensure conditions within the home are healthy, leading to a reduction in health hazards such as damp and mould, and also offer tenants valuable insight into heat loss and draughts.
While the price cap is anticipated by some independent energy research analysts to fall by 14% in April, this is not a guarantee. Fuel poverty is becoming a real concern and figures from a survey conducted by Aico|HomeLINK among social housing tenants indicated that many found it difficult to keep warm (64.5%) and 56.8% found it simply too expensive for them to afford to heat their homes.
This situation underscores the opportunity for landlords to improve the energy efficiency in their homes via smart sensor technology which helps them to identify issues, conduct repairs and monitor the improvements following that work being done, but also change behaviours that are causing energy to be wasted. The global smart sensor market size was over £24 billion in 2021 but, thanks to increasing demand, is forecast to hit more than £123 billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 20.1%. Social landlords such as Poplar HARCA in London
and Stirling Council in Scotland are leading the charge and are part of an increasing pool that has implemented smart sensors to benefit tenants. In response to this increasing demand, more and more electrical wholesalers have been incorporating smart sensors and IoT-connected products into their ranges. IoT sensors collect data, analyse and use it to help tenants and landlords identify issues and make real-time adjustments to improve living conditions. Sensors can spot, for instance,
“IoT sensors and other devices enhance health monitoring, safety and the living environment.”
too much moisture in the air and recommend ventilation, highlight damp and mould issues, whether rooms are being heated and how often, and monitor carbon monoxide levels; all of which can have detrimental health effects. Using data from smart sensors in social housing can have a profound impact on residents’ health and wellbeing. High levels of carbon dioxide for example can cause headaches, increase heart rate, lead to poor concentration
28 | electrical wholesaler March 2024
ewnews.co.uk
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