Pilot – Air Source Heat Pump

What the project is

As an organisation, we need to be moving towards heating homes using cleaner energy and as part of that we already have around 200 properties with Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs). However, we didn’t really have a lot of information on how they were performing for our tenants, and that’s why smart thermostats and energy clamps have been installed into 147 properties with ASHPs and solar panels. Those also include eight Carbon Neutral properties. The aim is to identify performance of the property providing real time data insights into the energy used to heat the property.

Why we’re doing it

This project will help us to identify if any additional investment is required to ensure best efficiency of the properties and help us to improve homes in the future. It also gives us an ability to provide support to the tenants and ensure they know how to use heating system and potentially help them save on the heating costs. With real time data insights, we are able to identify any potential issues such as fuel poverty, risk of damp and mould and overheating.

Benefits to tenants

This technology allows tenants to easily manage their heating – whenever it suits them via the smart phone app. It helps to better understand when and how it is most efficient to use heating which is helping tenants to reduce energy usage.

It will help to reduce carbon usage through unnecessary visits as tenants have an ability to contact us if they have any issues with using the device or the heating system itself.

Tenants can receive messages directly from Ongo – through a Switchee device, which allows them to securely send messages, schedule appointments and ask for feedback on repairs.

About the technology, company and how it’s working

The Switchee thermostat has been specifically designed as an enterprise solution for social housing. It is designed and manufactured in the UK. Switchee combines social purpose, intelligent analytics and smart in-home technology to create services which enable residents and landlords to do more with less.

Switchee system monitors temperature, light, motion, humidity, air quality, local weather conditions, electricity usage and set times for heating and hot water. This information and analytics help to identify and alert potential issues.

Click this link to watch a video which provides more detail on Switchee.

How homes have been selected

For the purpose of this project properties have been selected based on the heating system type to ensure compatibility with Switchee devices. We are monitoring how ASHPs are functioning across different portfolio of the properties, including retrofitted and new build.