Jaison Mathai, Software program Item Manager at FireAngel Safety Technologies, shares his insight on how we can accelerate technologies adoption to boost security outcomes in social housing.

It is not simple to make a product simple. Take ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot created by OpenAI that has been producing headlines considering that its launch final November. Customers enter a prompt and the software program delivers a detailed response.

Jaison Mathai, Software program Item Manager at FireAngel Safety Technologies

But, what would ChatGPT be without the need of the sophisticated technology and years of research behind it? 

My purpose is to make technologies accessible to support resolve some of the most complicated complications – threats to safety from fire, carbon monoxide, and cold, damp and mould dangers.

Nevertheless, building solutions is only half of the journey. Widespread adoption of sophisticated technologies relies on the mindsets of the persons involved in the course of action. The future of ChatGPT, for instance, will rely on how it is accepted and integrated into our society.  

Social housing – A altering landscape prepared to adopt new tech?

The social housing sector has been slow to accept and integrate revolutionary technologies platforms, partly for the reason that the list of complicated challenges the sector faces is substantial, from decarbonisation to navigating Universal Credit cuts, digital transformation journeys can fall down the priority list. Concerns more than privacy, monetary expense, regulatory handle and cyber safety have also presented crucial barriers to acceptance.

Nevertheless, more than the previous two years, there has been a transformational shift towards adoption. 

Social housing associations are recognising that implementing security technologies is not a further purpose on their to-do list, but an important step to protect the high-quality of life of residents and support drive the death count down to zero. This shift has evolved from a higher awareness of the technologies accessible, and growing scrutiny from regulators, residents and the wider public.

As we witness this basic movement, earlier barriers to acceptance are becoming obstacles to be overcome, rather than roadblocks. 

In August 2024, the UK Government will introduce new cyber safety regulations, which will effect security technologies in social housing, especially in terms of information protection and privacy. The regulations, which apply to all organisations that provide essential national infrastructure, will demand compliance with cyber safety requirements demonstrated by normal testing and auditing.

Study additional: How IoT can ‘transform’ fire security for the most vulnerable

This will support introduce standardisation to the sector, making certain social housing associations can evaluate and choose the Net of Points (IoT) options that comply with requirements or open protocols that enable integration with other devices and systems.  

Nevertheless, although the regulatory modify will place social housing providers at ease in terms of privacy and safety issues, they will also face growing stress to evolve and adapt to obtain compliance.

Companies will need to have to make sure that these options are uncomplicated to use and implement to enable below-resourced organisations to handle the transformation without the need of the need to have to supply extra knowledge. 

“Adoption of IoT a considerable step modify for the sector”

As regulations continue to tighten, persons and processes have to also preserve pace. The good wealth of information that comes with digitisation provides a revolutionary chance for housing providers to fundamentally shift their functioning practices.

Tapping into information from IoT sensors can flag possible upkeep and security concerns and help provide social worth by making certain high-quality and secure accommodation. IoT can also support housing associations give sufficient sources to help their tenants like the most vulnerable in society.

But this will be a considerable step modify for a sector that has been traditionally reactive more than proactive.  

To prepare for the shift, social housing associations have to engage tenants, employees and other stakeholders to create help for IoT technologies by showcasing its worth via initial pilots and selecting options providers that concentrate on enhancing the user knowledge.  

Seeking ahead, the widespread adoption of potentially life-saving technologies is underway but demands a cultural shift to attain its complete possible, so that persons, processes and technologies can operate collectively to take resident security to previously unachievable levels. 

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Connect with the fire security neighborhood at FIREX 2023. You are going to come across hundreds of top exhibitors from the active and passive fire sector, showcasing all the most current in fire protection, prevention and detection options. With third-celebration solution approvals a situation of exhibiting, guests can be assured of the high-quality of options they are seeing, and the all-new distributor network is also launching this year.

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