Poplar HARCA is extending its deployment of Aico’s HomeLink devices to around 6,000 homes after the success of its pilot project involving 500 homes at the end of 2022. Aico will be installing over 15,000 of its IoT-based HomeLink environmental sensors within the next 12 months.
The HomeLink sensors collect data on temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide to track and monitor potential problems with damp and mould, ventilation, fuel poverty and air quality.
Tenants can use the HomeLink app to access information about the conditions in their homes, while Poplar HARCA can use the HomeLink portal for live data updates.
Each property has its own HomeLink gateway, giving the housing provider a complete overview, whether for one house or a block of flats. Live data is gathered by the IoT-based environmental sensors, with alerts sent via the app in terms of air quality, damp and mould, condensation and temperature. Alternative channels, including text messages, emails and post, are available for residents who are unsure about using apps.
HomeLink’s ‘signature of mould insight’ offers a tool to analyse the underlying cause of damp and mould problems, comparing potential ‘structural’ issues with the fabric of the property to potential ‘environmental’ issues relating to how the property is used. This knowledge enables housing providers to take targeted action to resolve damp and mould, with their resources better directed between structural and environmental remediations.
Elizabeth Williams, assistant director of asset management, Poplar HARCA, said, “While still at a relatively early stage, this rollout is already having clear benefits for our asset management. In properties where devices are fitted, we can help residents before mould proliferates which benefits their health and reduces our costs.”
