AirEx developed the first affordable smart air brick solution for the retrofit housing market. The product is an IoT-enabled smart ventilation control system that replaces conventional airbricks in pre-1950s dwellings. It monitors relevant environmental parameters like temperature and humidity and subsequently opens or closes air vents to optimise ventilation. Using cloud-based IoT algorithms, AirEx minimises cold airflow whilst ensuring sufficient air exchange to prevent moisture build-up, timber rot or poor indoor air quality.
Created by a small start-up in the UK with a budget between 10.000 and 100,000€, the smart vent can be bought by tenants (£450 installed price). During this feasibility study it was explored the market potential across our key target customer groups: social ladlords, retrofit installers and energy companies: both in the UK and across the wider European markets, including France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Ireland. It was refined the customer proposition for the three key customer groups - this refinement process has been completed based on 23 interviews conducted in 6 months with key customers as well as other stakeholders (government bodies, supply chain partners, distributors, etc).
Key partnerships were established and strengthened during this feasibility study, with particular regards to our Hungary-based manufacturer suppliers and UK-based distributor partners (further distributors have been engaged in France and Belgium too). Major engagement activities were conducted during a 3-day tech exhibition (VivaTechnology Paris) where we built up relationship with more than 100 stakeholders (construction firms, energy companies, investors, etc).
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Countries impacted:
United Kingdom -
Geographical scale:
National -
Energy poverty phase:
Implementation -
Intervention type:
Household energy efficiency and refurbishment -
Professionals involved:
Technician -
Type of funding:
Private funds; European funds from H2020 programme of the European Union, Grant agreement ID: 789549 (50000e of 71429€) -
Website:
Case website -
SDGs addressed:
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