Glasgow-based tech innovator iOpt has won a tender worth up to £1 million to install real-time monitors in social housing stock – in a partnership “believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, if not globally”.
The firm said the tie-up with Renfrewshire Council, and supported by the Scottish Government, aims to help tenants while cutting property-management and repair costs.
iOpt said its “groundbreaking” Internet of Things (IoT) technology measures temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels in properties, providing early alerts on issues such as problems with ventilation and potential dampness.
The two-year project will begin when lockdown restrictions are eased, and will see sensors fitted into selected properties being prepared for new tenants. The initiative has £150,000 support from the Scottish Government’s CanDo Innovation Fund.
MD Dane Ralston commented: “We believe the contract with Renfrewshire Council has made IoT history and shows that Scotland is a world-leader in the field. The technology we have developed is cost-effective, will deliver savings for local authorities at a time of financial uncertainty, and help some of the most vulnerable tenants maintain a warm, healthy environment in their own home.
“More than ever, the world is changing at great pace, and we see remote asset monitoring of this kind as a key addition to any energy efficient home. To date, our studies have shown savings of approximately £190 per year per property.”
iOpt said it beat competitors from Sweden, Holland and Ireland to secure the deal, and is in talks with local authorities and housing associations across the UK.