As part of a move towards increased digitization, Broadland has partnered with smart tech company, Switchee, and has released plans to install smart thermostats across its properties.
This news follows a successful trial that began back in 2018. 145 Switchee smart devices were initially installed in a variety of homes, with the main focus on alleviating fuel poverty .
Switchee acts as a simple and intuitive control for the heating system and allows residents to save up to 17% on their energy bill. It also offers remote control of the heating system via an app.
Data is then sent from the Switchee device via the mobile phone network up to the cloud. This information is processed, and the insights are shared directly with maintenance and support teams in real time.
Louise Archer, executive asset director, said: “Switchee has proven great outcomes on an operational level during the pilot.
“We now aim to bring its benefits to all Broadland tenants and staff by expanding the rollout and integrating its data and features with our internal business system.”
A Switchee survey in November 2020 flagged up that an older male tenant, living on his own with physical and mental health disabilities, was at high risk of fuel poverty.
Kevin Gee, Tenancy Support manager, explains: “As well as helping the tenant access the support he needed, our Tenancy Support team were able to use the data from Switchee to stay in regular contact with him.
“We encouraged him to review how he heats his home, and change the times when the heating was on.
“Using the Switchee data, our Repairs team were also able to identify and repair a faulty radiator valve in the property.”
Laura, a tenant in Norwich, said: “The Switchee devices has really helped me monitor my energy use and helped me reduce my fuel bills. This has helped me reduced my energy bills”
Promising results also enabled Broadland to identify a number of potential mould disrepair cases and send damp prevention advice to 17% of homes with a Switchee.
Through the usage of Switchee smart technology, the housing provider was able to strengthen communication with its tenants, with the data showing a 92% response rate.
One use case was helping Broadland’s communications team get tenants to sign up for the online portal and Door to Door magazine.
51% of tenants not signed up to the magazine agreed to sign up via the Switchee survey.
In light of this, Broadland are eager to integrate Switchee’s data with its own Broadland Business Systems (BBS), in order to bring benefits and savings to both tenants and landlord going forward.
Justin O’Connor, head of Asset Management, said: “Switchee helps our Asset team to take a more proactive approach to tackling issues like damp and mould.
“It also acts a great tool for engaging our tenants and driving efficiency through its boiler testing and appointment scheduling features.
“And of course, Switchee helps us to reduce our carbon footprint by lowering energy bills, in line with our corporate strategy.”
Tom Robins, Switchee’s CEO, said: “Broadland has been a great partner and they share our vision that connecting homes with IoT technology can unlock significant value for landlords and residents alike.
“We are delighted to support Broadland in their ambition to be the first UK housing provider with a fully connected stock and excited to see the positive impact for residents”.
Image: Laura, a tenant in Norwich
Switchee is a Housing Digital Stakeholder that seeks to make maintaining properties simple and straight forward with remote tools that allow the user to check a property’s condition, analyse problems, and schedule fixes.
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