Sustainable Smart Technologies (SST) has completed the installation of its smart home monitoring platform in 30 social housing properties across Greater Manchester, working with Onward Homes and Southway Housing Trust.

It is part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's (GMCA) 5G Innovation Region programme (external website), which is testing how digital tools can improve housing conditions, affordability and resident wellbeing at scale. 

SST (external website) was selected for the project after a competitive tender process, going on to deploy sensors across 20 homes managed by Onward Homes and 10 homes managed by Southway Housing. Installations were completed by the end of January 2026 – just four months after being awarded the contract. 

The company's platform monitors temperature and humidity across four rooms in each property, providing housing officers with real-time insight into conditions to help prevent damp, condensation and mould growth. The system also integrates smart meter data, enabling the identification of residents who may be on unsuitable energy tariffs – a capability that directly supports efforts to tackle fuel poverty. 

“We are proud to have delivered this installation programme to a high standard at pace, using pioneering technology to assure residents that their homes are fit for the future. My team and I make sure to meet as many residents as possible, to learn about their experiences and to address their queries firsthand. 

“That’s because as a business we are led by a sense of purpose and social value – we want to ensure that bills are more affordable, that energy is sustainable and that people are content with the places in which they live. That’s what our monitoring platform enables us to do.”

Niamh Allen, managing director at SST

SST is the technology arm of Sustainable Investments, which also owns retrofit specialist Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) (external website). A number of the Onward Homes properties in the trial are now due to be retrofitted with energy efficiency upgrades by SBS, meaning SST will be able to compare pre- and post-retrofit performance data.  

This monitoring capability gives housing providers and funders a way to compare ‘before’ with ‘after’, offering independent verification that retrofit investments are delivering the intended outcomes – and early identification of any properties where further investigation may be needed. 

At Southway, the first phase of the GMCA programme focused on the connectivity of Daikin air source heat pumps in selected properties. SST became involved in phase two and went a step further by integrating data from the connected heat pumps into the platform. This 'stacking' of use cases – combining environmental monitoring with renewable heating performance data in a single dashboard – demonstrates the benefits of SST’s platform, which has open, hardware-agnostic architecture, with an ability to bring together data from multiple sources without requiring housing providers to replace existing technology. 

“SST’s new platform allows us to see our existing heat pump data alongside their environmental monitoring all in one place. This will help us make sure that our customers get the benefits of having the heart pump systems in their homes.”

Scott Murray, head of asset management and sustainability at Southway Housing Trust

Resident engagement was central to installation success. SST achieved a 100% sign-up rate across all 30 households, with no subsequent withdrawals. In the Onward Homes managed area of the project, where Bengali is a commonly-spoken language, SST produced bilingual Bengali and English materials – a decision that drew positive feedback from residents and their families. The company's hands-on approach to onboarding, informed consent and ongoing communication has been recognised by GMCA, which formally noted the team's delivery speed and quality in project governance meetings. 

"This project is evidence of the great work that can be done in housing when partners align their goals. SST worked closely with our on-site teams and engaged sensitively with our customers throughout. The bilingual materials made a real difference in this community, and the minimal disruption to our staff meant we could focus on supporting our customers through the retrofit works."

Tim Niblock, communications business partner - property at Onward Homes

While some smart home-monitoring solutions provide large amounts of raw data, SST's platform is designed to present housing officers with relevant, actionable insight. The system can therefore improve efficiency, making it easier to see which properties may need attention and reducing the burden on already stretched housing management teams. The platform's open data architecture means it can integrate sensors, solar panels, batteries, inverters and other devices already deployed across a housing provider's estate and deliver this information in a clear format. 

As greater focus turns to technology in order to make housing as affordable and sustainable as possible, GMCA is now developing a procurement framework to make it easier for social housing providers across Greater Manchester to access proven smart monitoring services, without each organisation having to start from scratch. 

“We want to understand how advanced connectivity can improve everyday life for people across Greater Manchester and social housing is a really important place for us to explore that.

“Now that the installation phase of this work is complete, we’re keen to see what the data tells us and how housing providers use that insight in practice. We’ll use that learning to share clear, evidence‑based lessons with the wider housing sector, focused on what makes a meaningful difference to people in their homes.”

John Duncan, Connected Places lead at GMCA

Funding for the GM 5GIR project was provided by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology as part of its 5G Innovation Regions programme (5GIRs). 

Article Published: 10/06/2026 13:55 PM