Following Stirling Council’s original IoT trial with Aico (see the September 2022 edition of Housing Technology), the council has now embarked on the UK’s first full roll-out of a multi-technology and multi-sensor connected-home solution across its entire housing portfolio. 50,000 IoT devices will be installed over the next 8-10 years in homes managed by Stirling Council’s housing service.
Aico’s IoT sensors in the council’s properties will collect data on temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide alongside smoke-detection sensors. The council’s tenants will have access to the sensors’ data via a mobile app. The sensors will also alert the council in real-time with early warnings of damp, mould, ventilation and other problems. All of the council’s homes will be upgraded with connected smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.
The Aico sensors will support the council’s long-term planning; by identifying the least thermally-efficient homes, Stirling Council will be able to make better decisions around its capital investment programmes. And by connecting its entire housing portfolio, the council’s planning teams will be able to identify trends earlier and plan budgets better, based on empirical data from tenants’ homes.
One of Stirling Council’s tenants, Robert Cairney, said, “I was sceptical at first about what financial or health benefits the sensors in my home would offer. However, by recording humidity levels, I’ll be alerted to the risk of damp and mould, and rather than having to keep an eye out for these things myself, the council will know when it’s time for repairs or maintenance work.
“This new IoT technology for homes like mine is fantastic because it helps me to feel safer, live in a healthier environment and reduce costs. I’m now more aware of how my home is behaving and the ways in which I can save money via this free, cutting-edge connected-home kit.”
A spokesperson for Stirling Council said, “The data from the IoT devices will help us to identify the least energy-efficient homes and take action. It will also provide insights into the performance of recently-retrofitted properties; we’ve seen some interesting insights from homes in our original IoT trial, with several high-risk indications of damp and mould caused by condensation.”
“This technology is all about reliable, data-driven intelligence for better investment decisions and higher customer satisfaction.”
