Project: 

SHAL Housing are a social housing group based in Bridgewater, Somerset with approximately 4000 homes. Launching a first of it’s kind new SMART home scheme, SHAL Housing chose to work with ADEY, City Plumbing and Vericon to fit five properties with ADEY Sense® products and Vericon sensors to improve the efficiency of their heating systems, and to help manage their heating systems better with the introduction of the latest connected home technology.

The brief:

ADEY advised that ProCheck® digital water tests should be carried out on SHAL Housing properties, to determine the health of the residents’ heating systems. A deep clean of the heating systems using the MagnaCleanse® system flush was then performed to remove any existing sludge and debris, and finally an ADEY Sense connected filter (MagnaClean Micro3®) was fitted for ongoing protection and remote monitoring.

The results:

With an ADEY Sense® connected filter, SHAL Housing can detect for high risk levels of magnetite or sludge in the system that can block radiators and cause damage to the boiler. The landlord can be alerted to this through real-time data and prioritise those at risk. This means they can rectify the problem BEFORE it causes a breakdown, as well as keeping gas bills as low as possible with an efficient heating system, maintaining consistent radiator output, and prolonging the life of the boiler.

‘As a landlord, we can monitor information that’s coming from the system, and then be proactive in terms of our maintenance, rather than relying on the tenants to pick up the phone and tell us that there’s a problem’, says Angela Gascoigne, CEO of SHAL Housing.

‘The ADEY system also enables us to make sure that heating systems are efficient and effective as possible.’

Conclusion:

With promptness of landlord’s actions being the number one complaint from tenants* according to the Housing Ombudsman, SHAL Housing recognises the importance of advanced solutions to inefficient heating such as connected devices, smart buildings and data analytics.

According to the Housing Association, 42% of social housing providers are planning to invest in the Internet of Things and smart technology in the next 12 months** meaning ADEY will continue to innovate and launch market-leading SMART products to cater for all sizes and types of property.

England alone spends over £80m on replacement boilers every year***. By installing the MagnaClean Micro3® alongside looking after the system through ADEY’s Best Practice, there is a potential £3.8m to be saved on replacement boilers.

Watch part one of the case study below

“A warm home and hot water are basic needs for any household – whatever their living tenure. A lack of heating or hot water does not just cause discomfort but can be a risk to health and wellbeing – particularly in the social housing sector, which houses a greater proportion of vulnerable households.’ Housing Ombudsman.

*Housing Ombudsman Spotlight report on heating, hot water and energy in social housing

**Housing Association: Private register providers ENGLAND, Housing Association SCOTLAND, Social Housing WALES

***CIVICA: The Changing Landscape for Social Housing Report 2021