Housing innovation funded by UKRI
Healthy Ageing Social Ventures Industrial Research
INCH Architecture & Design and Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association have received a UKRI industrial research fund to work in partnership the University of Stirling and Iridis Digital to develop a new technology within people’s own homes to help older residents to manage common complaints of ageing and live independently and safely at home for longer. The tool will be developed alongside and will inform a pilot programme of building fabric improvement works to help meet net zero targets in housing.
George MacGinnis, Healthy Ageing Challenge Director at UKRI said:
“Social enterprises can play an important part in addressing inequalities in healthy longevity, yet recent research has highlighted the difficulties they face in raising funds to grow. That’s why the UKRI healthy ageing challenge will provide £2.78 million funding through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI). The 31 projects we are funding demonstrate the very real innovation and imagination of the social enterprise sector, tackling inequalities in healthy ageing and addressing a wide-range of issues such as physical and mental wellbeing, suitable accommodation, social connectivity and playing a full role in work or wider society.”
Housing for Ageing for 2040+
The project will run for 2 years and priority groups who are expected to benefit from the innovation are: i) older people; ii) tenants and residents of social housing; iii) occupants living in fuel poverty iv) housing providers.
Lesley Palmer, Director of INCH said, “Housing associations are facing significant social and environmental challenges in respect of balancing their obligations to improve their existing housing stock to meet net zero carbon targets and support an ageing population whilst managing planned maintenance requirements and tackling fuel poverty. As a practice we have a strong reputation for our work in designing for healthy ageing, across the ages. It is an honour to have this opportunity to work with our partners to develop an innovation which will help tackle important societal issues.”
Joanna Voisey, Director of Asset Management at Hanover said “Hanover is one of the leading providers of housing and services for older people in Scotland and as we entered 2022 we recognised the unique challenges that face our customers. The project allows us to bring together a wide range of expertise, sitting in social enterprises, to identify and test solutions to the challenges of an ageing population, increasing fuel poverty and net zero, creating the means for our customers to live independently and enjoy life to the full.”
