Oswestry’s Aico supports Kent-based university in prioritising student safety via IoT sensors in student homes

Aico, based in Oswestry, has played a pivotal role in the enhancement of student accommodation alarm systems at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in Kent – through the university implementing its specialist range of HomeLINK IoT-connected smart home sensors.

CCCU, known for its commitment to providing guaranteed accommodation for all first-year students, sought to upgrade its fire and smoke alarms to the highest level of protection, Category LD1. This upgrade aligns with the most recent British Standard revision for fire detection and alarm systems in UK domestic premises.

In addition to fire detection, the Aico’s HomeLINK Connected Home Solution deployed at CCCU, gathers data on indoor environmental conditions such as monitoring indoor air quality, checking temperature, humidity, ventilation and carbon dioxide levels. The technology facilitates proactive maintenance, offering improved indoor conditions for students. The sensors also empower occupants with insights to prevent condensation, damp and mould, enhancing the students’ overall living experience.

Beyond addressing fire concerns, Aico’s HomeLINK solution minimises nuisance and false alarms by providing real-time data and trends to the university’s security and fire teams. This capability helps reduce unnecessary call-outs, as the system delivers personalized notifications to the relevant departments and individuals, optimizing cost savings for CCCU.

A spokesperson from CCCU’s Estates Team highlighted the effectiveness of the Aico Gateway system: “The Gateway system with instant notifications has helped us already to identify which students are triggering the alarms and then addressing the issue. The added benefit of the environmental sensors has led us to prioritise some remedial works to improve the thermal efficiency of certain properties. Overall, so far it has shown how technology can benefit us as landlords, and plans are already in place to roll out across more of our properties.”

Aico|HomeLINK collaborates with various educational institutions across the UK, including the Universities of Bristol, Leeds, and York, as well as Harper Adams University in Shropshire.

Chris Jones, CEO for Aico|HomeLINK, said: “Canterbury Christ Church University is just one of the educational institutions we are working with to help keep their students safe and well. By leveraging IoT technology and integrating their teams with constant monitoring via sensors in real-time, the notifications allow the university to ensure the system is working optimally, ensuring devices are correctly sited and working to keep students safe in their accommodation at all times.”

For more information about Aico’s HomeLINK Connected Home Solution, visit: http://www.aico.co.uk/homelink