The London Borough of Ealing is currently undertaking a large regeneration programme to transform many of its properties and estates and as part of its plans, the council is implementing one of the biggest IoT roll-outs of its kind by a UK social housing provider through the installation of FireAngel’s Spec Connected products and services across its entire housing portfolio.
The new agreement will revolutionise the way in which the council monitors and manages its housing stock, eliminating the requirement to gain physical access to its properties due to all of the required IoT device data being transmitted wirelessly in real time via a secure cloud network.
After a review of Ealing Council’s fire safety policy, it was decided that a fire safety system that provided transparent and continuous monitoring of each alarm in every property would enable the council to increase the level of protection provided while simultaneously streamlining maintenance processes to quickly identify any risks. Following the review and an initial trial, FireAngel Spec Connected was chosen due to its significant purchase savings and reduction of running costs through the provision of connected solutions that could be adapted and upgraded later to meet future regulations.
Paul Cook, interim health and safety manager, Ealing Council, said, “IoT is an area that will continue to evolve and I was really impressed with FireAngel’s investment in its connected technologies. By partnering with FireAngel we’re confident we will not only provide our tenants with the highest standards in fire protection, but also streamline our asset management processes.”
The council’s entire housing portfolio will benefit from the new connected system, with real-time remote monitoring of each property via a secure wireless network. FireAngel Predict will also be installed to highlight trends and monitor patterns of behaviour to prompt early interventions before an actual fire.
The installation of over 122,000 of FireAngel’s battery-powered Specification Range smoke, heat and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms is now underway.
The alarms are being supplied by CEF through a Procurement for Housing framework, and because the alarms are battery-powered, no hardwiring is required, providing significant cost savings while also reducing the length of time in which the installers are in each tenant’s home.
Every property in Ealing Council’s housing portfolio historically specified an LD3 category mains-powered system from another supplier. The new partnership will see the level of protection throughout each property upgraded to an LD1 category specification in accordance with BS 5839-6.
The council’s suite of alarms will also be enhanced by a FireAngel Connected Gateway; these will be fitted outside each property to provide the council with additional real-time updates regarding the status and performance of each alarm.
Cook said, “This is a significant project for us, but one that is necessary to transform the way in which we manage and monitor not only our entire housing stock but also the safety of every tenant.”
The FireAngel Connected Gateway uses a unique algorithm and features patented Predict technology to identify and highlight high-risk patterns of behaviour regarding fire safety and then instantly alerting nominated individuals in the event of an alarm.
James King, director of connected homes, FireAngel, said, “There has been a real shift in behaviour and circumstance due to coronavirus and housing providers are under increasing pressure, specifically with regard to fire safety.
“From challenges around gaining access to properties through to overcoming issues regarding the adequate measurement of property risk, there are a number of complications and costs associated with missed tenant appointments and the difficulty engineers experience when trying to gain access to properties to conduct necessary maintenance and repairs.
“This is why connected technologies that support remote monitoring capabilities are so important, because they enable housing providers such as Ealing Council to continuously monitor each of the fire and carbon-monoxide safety devices across their stock via a central, secure cloud-based system.”
