Energy bills. It’s a soul-destroying topic that is simply unavoidable in the UK. Everyone everywhere seems to be struggling with rising costs. We’re all looking to find new ways to save on our energy. Companies nationally are keeping a keen eye on budgets and where utilities can be reduced, optimised or simply cut in order to beat the crisis that we face.

The health complications that come with a poorly heated home are undeniable, but do low temperatures and unaffordable energy prices also cause direct and indirect damage to the health of properties as well as residents? When a home is cold, often the first instinct of the tenant is to keep all windows and doors shut. However, a warm and moist environment inside the home can create the perfect conditions for mould growth.

Energy costs are on the rise for everyone, but particularly in the corporate space. Last year, SME businesses across the UK were granted government subsidy in the form of the ‘Energy Bill Relief Scheme’. The scheme provides small to medium businesses with discounts on the cost of the energy your businesses uses between 1st October 2022 – 31st March 2023. Whilst this support is helpful, bills continue to increase and businesses suffer.

LGBTQ+ inclusion still has a long way to go, especially in the technology industry where LGBTQ+ identifying employees make up less than 3% of the global technology sector workforce. However, diversity and inclusion laws are taking up more space on the agenda for most businesses and we’re taking steps in the right direction in order to shape the community for the better.

A passive infrared (or PIR) sensor is electronic and works by measuring infrared light that radiates from objects within its field of view. PIR is most commonly used for motion detection. The sensor can detect general movement but is unable to provide more detailed data such as information on who or what moved. This type of sensor is commonly used within burglar alarms or automatically activated lighting systems.

As COP26 came to a close in November, one thing was clear - not enough is being done to tackle the climate crisis. The UN has estimated that the world isn’t on track to meet the Paris Agreement, with the goal of limiting global warming to below 2°C very unlikely as things stand. In fact, it’s predicted that current emissions will lead to a global temperature rise of 2.7°C, which will have even more catastrophic consequences for our planet.

Following COP26, more private organisations are looking to incorporate sustainability initiatives as they attempt to reduce their carbon emissions. It could be considered that the private sector has already fallen far behind its public counterpart. Over 60 local authorities have committed to achieving net-zero council carbon emissions by 2030 and wider community emissions by 2045.

Smart monitoring devices that incorporate Internet of Things technology, have the capability to drive process and offers insight and understanding of data across multiple industries. Healthcare, retail, residential and manufacturing are just a handful of the sectors that are currently utilising the benefits of smart monitoring solutions.

Currently, our health systems are substantial sources of greenhouse gasses, accounting for nearly 5% of global emissions. If we classed all health systems globally as one country, they would be the 5th largest emitter. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have each already begun their journey to net-zero and have developed ambitious plans to beat the government’s target of being net-zero by 2050.

IoT, the Internet of Things, smart monitoring, smart technology. There are endless ways to describe the technology, but even more ways in which smart monitoring is enabling greater energy efficiency across various industries. Devices such as smart sensors themselves won’t directly improve your energy efficiency, but the data provided can offer insight into trends, failures and anomalies that impact the energy efficiency of a building.