How a retrofit project is keeping residents front and centre
Gareth Butler, relationship manager at home life safety specialist Aico, tells Inside Housing about how Internet of Things-connected devices are improving homes’ energy performance
In association with:
Retrofit projects are, by their nature, disruptive for residents. Improperly managed, the process can lead to anxiety, resistance and even a breakdown in trust between social housing providers and their residents.
To avert these issues, Wolverhampton Homes – an arm’s-length management organisation (ALMO) that manages 21,000 properties on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council – has turned to environmental monitoring technology.
READ MORE
As part of its commitment to improving the quality and energy efficiency of its housing stock, the housing organisation is retrofitting a number of its properties as part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund [now replaced by the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund].
A key element of Wolverhampton Homes’ approach for the project has been the installation of cutting-edge Internet of Things (IoT)-connected devices that are designed to monitor retrofitted properties, improve energy performance and provide valuable data insights.
These systems gather real-time data on indoor environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity and CO2 levels, providing essential insights for compliance. This data allows Wolverhampton Homes to not only ensure that retrofitted homes meet stringent guidelines, but also to prevent potential issues like mould growth due to excess humidity or poor ventilation.
The technology also allows long-term performance-tracking of energy usage and occupant comfort, ensuring that retrofit programmes deliver lasting benefits to residents. The capabilities of the system’s IoT technology are central to this, providing a continuous stream of data for analysis and action.
However, the successful implementation of this technology depends on resident buy-in, and engagement days have formed a vital part of Wolverhampton Homes’ retrofit delivery strategy.
These events – run in partnership with partners Aico, Wates, United Living and Constructive Thinking – provided a platform for building trust and addressing residents’ concerns around construction.
As the case study (below) shows, they also helped to educate residents about the monitoring system and
its benefits.
Gareth Butler, relationship manager, Aico
Wolverhampton Homes: Retrofitting project, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton Homes has retrofitted almost 600 houses and flats in low-rise blocks across the city since April 2023, as part of its decarbonisation programme.
“Our retrofit programme is made up of several types of non-traditionally built housing stock, along with a number of traditional, solid-wall, brick-built houses,” explains Ian Gardner, director of property services at Wolverhampton Homes. “It includes some of our worst-performing social housing stock, with EPC [Energy Performance Certificate] ratings ranging from [Band] D to F.”
The aim of the project, Mr Gardner adds, is to ensure all these homes remain structurally sound and undergo deep retrofit to bring their EPC ratings up to a high Band C. As well as improving the properties’ fabric and energy efficiency, Wolverhampton Homes has been installing smart home monitoring technology in the form of sensors that measure temperature, humidity and CO2 levels. These link up with residents’ smart meters inside the properties.
“Installing these measures helps us meet our EPC C target, while also reducing fuel poverty across our ageing housing stock,” says Mr Gardner. “An added benefit will be to reduce the likelihood of damp, mould and condensation.”
To ensure residents understood the environmental monitoring technology and the benefits of smart meter integration, Wolverhampton Homes and its principal contractors ran a resident engagement programme with meetings held across the city.
“Educating residents in how to use and benefit from this technology reduces the risk of misuse or misunderstanding down the line – and residents who are fully informed are more likely to engage with the technology in a way that maximises its benefits,” says Gareth Butler, relationship manager for the West Midlands region at home life safety specialist Aico, the project partner that installed the smart home technology.
These events served as a critical platform for building trust between residents and all the organisations involved in the retrofitting process, as the team from Aico showed how they would help residents monitor environmental conditions in real time, providing greater control over their home’s energy efficiency and comfort levels.
Importantly, these sessions included guidance on how to use an app to monitor their own indoor temperature, humidity and air quality, and how they could make small changes in their behaviour to optimise these conditions and save on energy costs. With rising energy costs being a significant concern, these demonstrations were well-received, as residents could see the tangible benefits in terms of potential savings.
600
Homes retrofitted by Wolverhampton Homes since April 2023
C
EPC band Wolverhampton Homes wants to bring its properties up to
“The additional information on energy consumption has been a valuable tool for residents,” says Mr Gardner. “By using the smart home monitoring technology, the residents can see the energy they are consuming within their retrofitted home and visualise the reduction in consumption and heating costs. This use of technology has also played a key role in continued engagement with our residents.”
“By engaging early and proactively, residents can be brought into the decision-making process and given the tools to take control of their living environment,” Mr Butler adds. “This level of empowerment fostered a positive relationship between residents, Wolverhampton Homes and its partners, which has ultimately led to a smoother project execution with more successful outcomes.”
Resident buy-in has been crucial to the success of this project, agrees Mr Gardner. “As the work we undertake on these hard-to-treat properties often changes the way the building behaves, it is vital our resident engagement strategy encompasses these changes to allow residents to make the most of their retrofitted homes.”
Recent content in association with Aico
Can AI improve fire safety in homes?
Inside Housing hears from Andy Speake of safety technology specialist Aico about how social landlords can use artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve fire safety in their homes
What will our future homes look like?
As the pace of change in technology accelerates and the use of AI becomes more ubiquitous, Inside Housing speaks to Aico’s Michael Wright to find out how this will impact social housing in the future
Supporting tenants affected by fuel poverty
Inside Housing and Aico’s third Give Fuel Poverty a Voice survey – and a workshop as part of this year’s campaign – paint a mixed picture of the current status of fuel poverty in the UK
CPD webinar on demand: the importance of good quality data to good air quality
As part of Inside Housing’s CPD offering, watch the full webinar, ‘The importance of good quality data to good air quality’, and earn CPD minutes
Sensor technology to keep homes safe
Jordan Toulson, head of product at HomeLINK, explains how networks of sensors that gather data and exchange information can make homes safer, warmer and more energy efficient
How smart devices are transforming homes
Chris Jones at smart home technology provider HomeLINK explains the role technology can play in improving homes and helping residents to better understand where they live
Is the sector providing healthy homes?
Inside Housing ran a survey for the new Healthy Homes campaign, in association with safety tech specialist Aico, to find out how effective the sector is at creating healthy homes for residents
CPD module: the importance of indoor air quality
What is indoor air quality, why is it important, and how can it be improved in social housing? Professor Tim Sharpe, head of the department of architecture at the University of Strathclyde, explains. Read this article, take a quiz, earn CPD minutes
Sign up to the Warm and Safe Homes Summit 2025
Join more than 500 sector leaders responsible for retrofitting and improving the quality of homes – spanning asset management, building safety, sustainability, tenant engagement, procurement, governance and compliance.
The Warm and Safe Homes Summit (previously called the Retrofit and Strategic Asset Management Summit) offers a crucial opportunity for you to build collaborations and partnerships, driving progress toward healthy, safe and energy-efficient homes for tenants and residents.
