Bield Housing and Care was Commended in the Digital Transformation category of the Housing Technology Awards 2026.
A recent six-month project by Bield Housing & Care and Archangel involving the installation of unobtrusive IoT sensors at a retirement housing development in South Lanarkshire has resulted in significant benefits for both us and our tenants. The project had a positive return on investment within the first year and an estimated annual saving of £18.5 million when applied across all of Scotland’s retirement housing developments.
Our ‘Evaluating care delivery in rural settings’ project showcased the latest technology innovations and was funded by the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation & Technology as part of Glasgow City Region’s ‘5G Smart & Connected Places’ programme. Involving digital health innovator Archangel and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, our project was independently assessed by FarrPoint.
Covering retired individuals at one of our retirement housing developments in Biggar, the project involved sensors being placed around communal spaces and ten individual properties at the development in order to monitor property conditions such as temperature, humidity and motion.
The data was then immediately relayed to Archangel’s ambient assisted living (AAL) technology platform and monitored 24/7 to address any problems that might arise in relation to the living conditions of the tenants.
The sensors were connected via Archangel’s Angelnet connectivity network, with the data then becoming available to all stakeholders via the Archangel platform.
Farrpoint’s post-live report found that the implementation of smart sensors can result in lower utility and maintenance costs, improved tenant safety, fewer manual checks and improved regulatory compliance. The project delivered annual savings of £7,700 in heating and £2,800 in maintenance. An £18.5 million annual saving is estimated when factored out across all of Scotland’s retirement housing developments.
Kate Milne, the economist at FarrPoint who led the assessment of our project, said, “We often do studies evaluating the real impact that technology can bring and I’m pleased that this particular assessment showed the positive benefits of intelligent sensors. Not only did the sensors enhance the tenants’ feeling of safety and wellbeing but they also enabled Bield Housing & Care’s staff to deliver better services to those tenants.”
Tom Morton, CEO of Archangel, said, “This isn’t about experimenting with innovation. FarrPoint’s evaluation confirmed some real, measurable outcomes that address today’s operational, financial and regulatory pressures as well as a positive return on investment within the first year.”
What our project shows is how thoughtful innovation can support older people to live independently, safely and with dignity. The smart technology that we trialled at Langvout Court in Biggar has brought clear cost savings and improved safety. As a result, we’re now exploring how this approach can be rolled out across our wider estate.
Gavin Wright is head of property management at Bield Housing & Care. The housing provider was Commended in the Digital Transformation category at the Housing Technology Awards 2026.
