The official number of people who live in a low income household with poor energy efficiency in England in 2024 is 3.17 million, according to the latest government statistics. With over 8 million adults in 2023/24 living in cold and damp homes contributing to worening pressure on the public health system.

Vericon Systems, a leader in smart building solutions, offers intelligently designed remote technology that provides powerful data to improve efficiency, reduces costs, improves compliance, and continuously improves the living conditions of people in rented accommodation.

Source:Inside Housing Survey

Current Challenges

Aging Infrastructure

Much of the UK’s social housing stock consists of older buildings with poor insulation, leading to high energy consumption. Upgrading this aging infrastructure is essential and retrofit projects are happening up and down the country.

– Poor Insulation

Inadequate insulation means more heat escapes, requiring more energy to maintain comfortable temperatures but also means that the external walls are colder increasing the risk of condensation and therefore mould.

– Drafts and Leaking Air

Traditional building techniques and building products weren’t focused on air tightness, for example drafts around doors and windows, resulting in higher greater loss of heat and therefore increased costs to maintain heat in a property.

– High Energy Consumption

Inefficient heating systems and poor building design lead to excessive energy use.

– Increased Maintenance Costs

Older infrastructure often requires more frequent and costly repairs.

How does this link to Fuel Poverty?

– Energy Bills

Poor insulation and inefficient heating systems lead to higher energy consumption, which in turn results in higher energy bills. If the heating system in a property is working harder than it needs to, to keep a property warm, the chance of a breakdown is increased. For residents who are already financially vulnerable, this can lead to significant hardship.

– Health and Safety Risks

Inadequate heating can lead to cold, damp living conditions, which can cause or exacerbate health issues such as respiratory problems and mental health conditions. These conditions can lead to mould growth which in turn can lead to legal action being taken by the resident.

– Resource Constraints and Problem Awareness

Upgrading the infrastructure is essential to address these issues, social housing providers often face limited resources. This means they must prioritise the most urgent repairs and upgrades. However, these upgrades can only be made if housing providers are aware of the problems.

It’s understandable that residents might feel hesitant to report issues due to feelings of embarrassment, such as struggling to pay a gas bill, or confusion about the root cause of a problem, like the unexpected growth of mould in their home. This hesitation can sometimes prevent the essential repairs and upgrades that are needed.

Lack of Real-Time Data

Without access to real-time energy usage and environmental data, it is challenging for social housing providers to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Implementing data-driven solutions is crucial for effective energy management and resident safety.

This lack of data leads to several issues

– Delayed Detection of Problems

Without real-time monitoring, inefficiencies such as excessive energy usage or poor heating performance may go unnoticed until they are escalate into significant issues.

– Reactive Maintenance

Housing providers are often forced to rely on reactive maintenance, addressing problems only after they are reported by residents or forced to take action, rather than proactively preventing them at a fraction of the cost.

– Inaccurate Assessments

In the absence of accurate data, it becomes difficult to assess the true performance of properties and identify which buildings need urgent upgrades. These assessments may include interviews with residents which doesnt give the full picture about how the property is being used.

How does this link to Fuel Poverty?

– Energy Bills

Without the ability to monitor energy usage in real-time, it is difficult to identify and rectify inefficiencies. This results in higher energy consumption and, consequently, higher energy bills for residents.

– Missed Opportunities for Improvement

Real-time data can pinpoint areas where minor adjustments, such as addressing an ineffective or switched-off extractor fan, could drastically lower energy consumption. By identifying these issues early, costs can be limited to £100 instead of thousands, breaking the cycle of inefficiency and high expenses.

– Health and Safety Risks

Environmental factors such as humidity and temperature can impact the health and safety of residents. Without real-time data, issues like mould growth or inadequate heating may not be addressed promptly, leading to adverse health effects.

everaging Vericon Systems to Enhance Resident Safety

Smart Building Technologies for Safety

Installing Vericon technology gives social housing providers the data needed to take proactive steps forward in caring for their vulnerable residents.

This technology provides real-time data on various aspects of the property, such as boiler activity, room level temperature & humidity and energy usage.

By identifying issues early, housing providers can take proactive measures to address them, ensuring that properties are maintained to a good standard while highlighting fuel poverty risks. This not only helps in maintaining the aging infrastructure but also improves the living conditions for residents.

By installing these technologies, social housing providers can:

– Ensure Safe Living Conditions

Maintain consistent and adequate heating levels, while preventing dangerous temperature fluctuations that may compromise resident health.

– Reduce Energy Costs

Optimise energy use and reduce waste, leading to lower energy bills for residents and the housing provider.

– Proactively Address Maintenance Issues

Detect and address potential issues before they escalate, ensuring the safety and well-being of residents.

– Validate work packages

Where work has been carried out to address a specific issue real time monitoring can confirm he validity of the work but also highlight any additional issues created by the works.

– Enhance Asset Management

Extend the lifespan of heating systems, while reducing downtime in the colder months. Learn more about the Vericon Summer Boiler Health Check.

Real-Time Data and Analytics

Vericon’s remote monitoring capabilities allow social housing providers to detect and address maintenance issues proactively, preventing potential safety hazards caused by faulty equipment or infrastructure. Regular maintenance and timely repairs can extend the lifespan of heating systems and other energy-related infrastructure, reducing the risk of safety incidents.

– Boiler Monitoring

Ensure the safety of residents by continuously monitoring the boiler’s performance and detecting any malfunctions or potential hazards. It also enables efficient energy usage and allows housing providers to have a better understanding of their assets. This data can also highlight fuel poverty related risks such as:

• Flow temperature
• Target room temperature
• Is there an active gas supply

– Temperature & Humidity

Vericon technology enables remote monitoring giving housing providers real-time visibility into property environmental conditions.

Vericon’s advance algorithms will analyse the data collected from sensors placed within the property to determine the risk level and the severity, allowing the most serious cases to be addressed first. The data, available online will give an insight to the changes throughout the day, and additional in sight to the cause before planned works or interventions are defined. This data can also highlight fuel poverty related risks such as:

• Single room occupancy
• A vulnerable resident
• A void property

– Power Usage

By monitoring power usage, housing providers can identify areas with high energy consumption and implement energy-saving measures for significant cost savings on utility bills. This data can also highlight fuel poverty related risks such as:

– Inconsistent Appliance Usage

Erratic patterns of appliance usage might show that residents are only using certain appliances at specific times or days.

– Underheating

Residents maybe using significantly less electricity than expected, it may indicate that they are underheating their homes to save money.

The integration of Vericon Systems’ smart building technologies presents a viable solution to enhancing resident safety, improving energy efficiency, and reducing fuel poverty in social housing. By leveraging real-time data, remote monitoring, and proactive maintenance capabilities, social housing providers can ensure safe living conditions, optimise energy use, reduce costs, and stay compliant.

These advancements are crucial in creating a more sustainable, safe, and fair future for social housing residents.

Would you like to find out more?

Contact Vericon Systems today to book a demo and see firsthand how intelligently designed remote technology solutions can transform your housing operations and support your residents.

Tel: 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]

Together, we can make a significant impact in combating fuel poverty and ensuring a better future for social housing.