Using sensor systems to deliver healthier housing

In this article, Dr Tim Walker, a research fellow at the University of Exeter, discusses the findings from a research project on the social value of home sensor systems in housing.

Sensor systems and housing

The quality of indoor home environments has a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of residents. Issues such as damp, mould, and poor ventilation pose significant risks not only to the physical and mental health of residents but also to the long-term structural integrity of properties.

To address these challenges, housing providers are increasingly adopting sensor systems that monitor indoor environmental conditions in real time, enabling a proactive approach to property management and resident support.

However, the value of these sensor systems goes beyond early detection of issues. The potential for generating social value - measurable benefits that enhance the lives of residents and the broader community - is significant. Researchers at the University of Exeter, in collaboration with AicoHomeLINK, Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT), Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), and Coastline Housing, have developed a series of guides and resources to help housing professionals understand the wider societal impact of sensor systems.

Understanding social value in housing

Social value refers to the broader benefits of an activity beyond its direct financial return. In the context of housing, social value measures how innovations like sensor systems positively affect people’s health and living conditions. It’s a way to quantify the wider societal impact, for example reducing the strain on public services like the NHS. A diagram illustrating how a sensor system can generate social value is found here.

It is possible to assess social value by using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology. SROI gives a financial value to the positive impact of an activity in relation to the resources invested. In this project we collaborated with Aico-HomeLINK, Coastline Housing, HACT and the UK Social Value Bank to understand the costs and benefits using SROI.

For every £1 invested in a home sensor system, we found that it creates £2.68 worth of social value. This gives a SROI ratio of £1: £2.68.

To give you some perspective, projects tackling homelessness typically see around £5 in return for every £1 invested, and initiatives that promote sports and physical activity see about £3 in return for every £1 spent.

This positive SROI shows the potential of sensor systems. Just imagine the collective impact if we scaled this innovation across the UK housing sector. With the NHS spending £1.4 billion each year treating people affected by poor housing, adopting sensor technology on a larger scale could make a real difference. It could not only improve living conditions but also reduce the pressure on our healthcare system and help other housing-related issues.

The social value guides

As housing providers across the UK work to meet regulatory demands and improve the quality of their homes, understanding the social value of new technologies like sensor systems becomes increasingly important. We have produced a series of guides that are designed for housing providers (including housing associations, local authorities and arms length management organisations) to help strategic and operational teams understand the wider impacts of adopting a sensor system. The series includes:

• The Social Value of Home Sensor Systems: An Introductory Guide. This guide introduces housing professionals to the concept of social value as it relates to home sensor systems. It highlights how these systems can make homes safer and healthier and offers insights into how housing providers can measure this impact.
• How Home Sensor Systems Generate Social Value: An Evidence-Based Guide. This guide provides a practical tool for housing providers to plan and evaluate sensor system projects in alignment with their organisational objectives.
• Evaluating the Social Value of Sensor Systems: A Case Study and Guide. This guide goes through the process of evaluating the social value of a sensor system. Using Coastline Housing as a case study, it provides a forecast for the SROI.

The overall purpose of these guides is to help housing professionals make informed decisions, ensuring that the adoption of sensor technologies align with their broader organisational goals and contributes positively to residents' lives.