Our Client.

Launched in 2021, with the first locations in Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Novel Student are now a leading name in UK PBSA.

All designed with one thing in mind – to create communities of healthier, happier students - student wellbeing is the centrepiece of Novel’s approach. They offer a range of amenities and events focused around physical and mental health such as meditation and yoga, and since working with Utopi they are one of the premier Student Accommodation providers in the UK prioritising sustainable living. 

The Challenge.

Novel Student as a brand are defined by healthy, happy communities; so when it came to improving the operational efficiency and ESG performance of their asset portfolio, they needed an effective solution. Acquiring the right data on their real estate portfolio was a hugely manual and time-consuming task, so they needed a solution and - with CA Ventures wanting to increase their asset value – fast.

The Utopi Solution.

Utopi ESG Technology solves the biggest problem in the real estate market – data acquisition. With our cost effective, low maintenance hardware we collect the data required to measure current impact, and armed with that understanding, make positive changes to reduce costs and emissions.  

Our product solution included:

• Utopi Multisensors - In every bedroom, studio and communal area including kitchens, gyms, etc.

• Gateways – The nerve centre of IoT, sending the data from our hardware to our Utopi platform using LoRaWAN technology.

• Utility submetering (Water, Gas and Electricity) – As you can’t fully understand your impact or consumption data without utility data.

• SaaS Platform – The central communications hub for all things ESG data, performance, reporting, allowing Novel to see in real-time how their assets were performing.

• Post-Install Customer Success – A dedicated Impact Team at Utopi whose sole function is to help clients get the most value out of the platform.

Actions.

In the summer of 2023, to help drive positive changes in behaviours and reduce the overall environmental footprint of a chosen Novel Student asset, CA Ventures, Novel Student and Utopi launched a campaign called ‘Progress to Pizza’. A campaign designed to showcase environmental impacts and the positive difference students can make, and ultimately reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of an overheated asset.

The deliverables were clear – if residents could reduce their average site temperature from 24°C to 21°C over a 6 week period, they would get a pizza party. This was rolled out via email communications, and included custom graphics for the TV screens in the buildings and in lifts (as seen below).

Impact.

Not only did this resident engagement campaign see a reduction to 22.6°C in as little as a week, it was a great chance for the collective to see the positive change that comes from bringing residents into a sustainable community. The Pizza Party went ahead, and residents were able to celebrate being part of a positive movement.

Utopi is now installed in over 11 Novel Student assets, and continue to grow a strong relationship with the leading Operator.

We look forward to continuing to support Novel Student and the wider CA Ventures team with their ESG strategy and unlocking value from Utopi.