Smart technology could deliver £18.5 million savings across Scotland’s retirement housing developments
A new independent evaluation by Connectivity Consultants, FarrPoint examined the 'Joining the Dots' IoT project by Archangel, concluded that smart sensor technology can deliver real impact across Scotland’s retirement housing. The sensors could improve safety, reduce costs, and deliver a return on investment within a year.
FarrPoint evaluation highlights significant benefits for tenants and housing providers
FarrPoint were commissioned to evaluate the six-month project, involving the installation of a range of unobtrusive sensors at a retirement housing development in South Lanarkshire is being hailed as a resounding success, with significant benefits for both tenants and the housing providers as well as 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.
Involving Glasgow-based digital health innovator Archangel alongside Bield Housing and Care and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), the completed project underwent a comprehensive assessment by FarrPoint.
The project, entitled ‘Evaluating care delivery in rural settings’, showcased the latest technology innovations and was funded by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of the Glasgow City Region (GCR) 5G Smart and Connected Places Programme.
Key findings
The final report, produced by FarrPoint, demonstrates the considerable impact that the use of smart sensors can have in the housing sector:
- Reduced utility costs
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Reduced manual checks
- Improved tenant safety
- Improved regulatory compliance
The use of smart technology can also be used to monitor other environmental conditions to detect risks such as legionella.
Covering retired individuals at Langvout Court 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 relayed immediately to Archangel’s ambient assisted living secure technology platform and automatically monitored 24/7 to proactively address any potential issues that might arise concerning the living conditions of tenants.
The sensors were connected via the Angelnet connectivity network, with the data then becoming available to all stakeholders via the platform.
The project delivered an annual £7670 saving in heating costs and an annual £2825 saving in maintenance costs. An £18.5 million annual saving is estimated when factored out across all of Scotland’s retirement housing developments.
Kate Milne, economist at FarrPoint and author of the evaluation report, reflected on the importance of the findings:
“As independent consultants, we often do studies evaluating the real impact that technology can bring, and I’m pleased that this particular assessment showed positive benefits of intelligent sensors to tenants at Langvout Court. Not only did it enhance their sense of safety and wellbeing but also supported Bield staff to deliver more timely, informed responses”
Tom Morton, CEO of Archangel, also highlighted the wider significance of the evaluation and the role of data in transforming housing and care services:
The independent FarrPoint evaluation confirms real, measurable outcomes that address today’s operational, financial and regulatory pressures as well as a return on investment within the first year. By aggregating data across housing and care environments, the Archangel platform delivers safer homes, reduces energy and maintenance costs, improves compliance and frees up staff time. This isn’t about experimenting with innovation. It’s about helping leaders turn information into action, confidently and cost-effectively. Our partners are empowered to deploy secure, proven, scalable solutions with real-time insights available 24/7 that drive strategic impact, operational efficiency and better outcomes for people and communities.
Download the report
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