GreenSquareAccord implement the SmartLINK Gateway to enhance resident safety within sheltered housing

Not-for-profit housing and care provider, GreenSquareAccord, has recently completed a project to upgrade all domestic smoke detection, warden control and door access equipment across 26 of its sheltered housing schemes. The upgrade programme utilised the latest innovations in home life safety and was designed to improve resident safety, ensure compliance, and efficiently deliver repairs and maintenance.

GreenSquareAccord provides 25,000 homes and a range of support services, including health and social care, to residents across the Midlands, Gloucester, Oxfordshire, Herefordshire, Wales and Wiltshire. The housing provider seeks to help their residents build better lives by delivering good-quality, safe homes and assisting people to live more independently.

A number of areas were identified for improvement to achieve enhanced resident safety within the affected sheltered housing schemes; each dwelling is now equipped with a digitally compatible warden call system, integrated door access control and Grade D1 Category LD1 fire detection systems, as required within BS 5839-6:2019+2020. The programme included the installation of Aico’s technologically advanced Ei3024 Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm, which provides a total fire response via its optical and heat sensors.

GreenSquareAccord also chose to install Aico’s SmartLINK Gateway within these properties to provide a detailed insight into each connected fire detection system while transmitting the information to the Alarm Receiving Centers. The integrated systems will enable GreenSquareAccord to be fully compliant with the ability to manage and monitor the connected devices.

The Gateway systems have been configured to alert the housing provider of any alarm failures or incidents in real-time via email. These alerts allow GreenSquareAccord to pinpoint the exact alarm that has sounded and the potential causes. Access to information that has been extracted directly from the alarm head enables an Operator to make an informed decision on their actions to ensure resident safety.

Natalie Peters, Group Reinvestment Surveying Manager at GreenSquareAccord says of the project, “From the design stage of this project through to install and commissioning, Aico has advised, recommended and offered their technical expertise where required. Andy Sturgess of Aico has attended residents’ meetings, presented to residents and answered questions on Aico’s products, and has undertaken several site visits before and after the project’s completion. Aico is always on hand to offer support and advice and answer any questions on any aspect of their products.”

The Gateway provides a secondary benefit to the housing provider in relation to more effective asset management. The live data allows GreenSquareAccord to manage the maintenance of their properties, incidents and recognise signs of resident misuse. For example, if an alarm is nearing its replacement date, if it has a potential fault, or if an alarm head has been removed from its base plate. Many of these issues can be rectified by a call to the resident or an onsite staff member, as opposed to a more costly call-out charge for an engineer.

The upgrade programme will allow the housing provider to improve their residents’ experience in relation to maintenance delivery, with the improved efficiencies also generating cost savings in terms of management and servicing of their home life safety devices.

Natalie continues, “The Gateway and portal are effective monitoring tools and continue to provide a valuable source of information for GreenSquareAccord. The automated emails sent at the time of an incident or maintenance issue also provide a secondary level of monitoring.”

Ryan Mullen of Orestone Controls, who facilitated the project comments, “It has been, and still is, a pleasure to work with GreenSquareAccord and Aico on these high-end assisted living systems and domestic fire alarms upgrades, utilising the latest technology. As a small, independent provider, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of the digital transformation revolution within sheltered accommodation.”

GreenSquareAccord will continue to deploy these systems within other properties and in other areas of the group, extending their upgrade programme over a three-year period.

Andy Sturgess, National Specification Manager at Aico, who worked alongside GreenSquareAccord and Orestone Controls to specify and implement the upgrade programme comments, “GreenSquareAccord made the decision to utilise this system with resident safety at the forefront. The SmartLINK Gateway allows GreenSquareAccord to ensure their residents have the highest level of fire detection available and can be confident that it is always fully functional and instantly see any issues that require addressing. Combined with an excellent resident engagement initiative by GreenSquareAccord and Orestone Controls, residents will feel safe in their homes and have a full understanding of how the equipment works. When this project is complete GreenSquareAccord will have one of the most comprehensive domestic fire detection systems in their sheltered housing that I have seen.”

To find out more about the SmartLINK Gateway, please visit: www.aico.co.uk/smart-home/