A more sustainable future
The world currently finds itself in the middle of a climate crisis, and we all have a responsibility to ensure our individual and collective impact on the environment is as low as possible. Increasing energy costs in Ireland have also meant that individuals and businesses are choosing to alter their energy usage habits to reduce costs and carbon emissions.
At Nido, we are committed to finding innovative ways to help make our residences more sustainable now and in the future, and the integration of Utopi technology is one new way we are doing this.
What is Utopi
Utopi is all about creating happier, healthier and more sustainable living spaces.
Utopi technology gives building operators real-time wellbeing and energy consumption data from within their building.
These insights allow building operators to take action to improve your living environment and reduce a building’s carbon impact on the environment.
How it works
Data collection
Utopi sensors (collecting a range of wellbeing information including light, noise, CO2, temperature and humidity) will be installed in living spaces and communal / amenity spaces throughout the building. The sensor takes less than 10 minutes to install, and they are placed as close to the centre of the space as possible for maximise coverage. Sensors are battery operated, have no lights and are completely silent.
Analysis and Action
The data collected by the Utopi sensor is analysed in the Utopi portal to enable building managers to understand how a building is performing and highlight potential issues, such as unusual usage patterns which could indicate high energy consumption in empty apartments, or faults in our energy systems. In time, data will also be made available to you via the Nido app, giving you customised and transparent data, and providing you with the information you need to make active and informed choices on energy consumption.
Measuring our impact
Each Irish citizen emits an average of 11 . 9 tonnes of CO2e each year. However, many of us are not aware how we are doing this.
Utopi technology not only allows building operators insight into how a building is performing – it will also enable you to track how your energy usage is translating in carbon emissions and give you the insights to be able to make adjustments that can significantly reduce your carbon impact.
For example…turning a thermostat down just 1 degree over a heating season is a 300kg reduction in CO2. That’s the equivalent of charging 36,493 smartphones for a year. Making very small adjustments to your energy usage habits can have a big impact on your yearly carbon emissions, and if everyone in our building can see what their consumption is in real time and take action to reduce it, we can make an enormous difference as a community.
What does the sensor detect?
Noise
The sensor records decibel levels only. It is not a smart device and does not have the capability to listen or record. The sensor records db levels every 6 minutes and presents the hourly average to the portal.
Light
The sensor has the capability to record light which is recorded in Lux levels.
Motion
The sensor has a passive infrared (PIR) sensor which detects movement. The purpose of recording motion is to detect occupancy. The sensor does not record video and it does not have the capability to count people. The sensor records all PIR hits over an hourly period which is reported as a “number of hits” to the portal.
Humidity
The sensor has a humidity function which reports hourly on the levels of moisture within the space it is mounted.
Temperature
The sensor records hourly temperature readings which is presented back to the Utopi portal as degrees Celsius.
Air Quality
The sensor will pick up and record any volatile organic compound. This could be CO2, smoke, alcohol etc. The sensor reports a part per million (PPM) reading hourly to the portal. The sensor is not a smart device and cannot distinguish one volatile compound from another.
Your privacy
The Utopi sensor measures environmental wellbeing data . All the data is completely anonymous . The sensors do not record video, images or audio. Data from the sensors is stored separately to any individual resident details held by a building operator. Utopi does not hold or store the personal details of any residents.
Utopi prioritises the security of any data it holds and implements industry best practices to ensure its safety.
The sensor is not...
The Utopi platform is designed to allow building operators to gain insights into a building in full compliance with UK and European GDPR regulations.
• a smart device. It does not have the capability to listen. It will record decibel levels only.
• a people counting device and is only capable of detecting motion via a PIR (Passive infrared) sensor.
What do you need to do?
Nothing just yet!
The sensors are installed in your room and in our communal spaces. They are recording data which we will be analysing for useful insights to help us reduce our collective environmental impact. Once we have these, we will be able to share them with you.
In the meantime, anything you can do to save energy, recycle and minimise waste would be much appreciated, by us and the environment.
Questions?
Please speak to your Residence Manager with any questions you may have .
