For every social housing provider, the homes themselves are the cornerstone asset. But in today’s environment, data has become just as critical, the key to protecting value, meeting regulation, and delivering healthier, safer homes for tenants.
The principle is simple: You can’t manage what you don’t measure. In Ireland’s social housing sector, the challenge is not whether to use data, but how to capture it from an ageing stock, convert it into actionable insight, and use it to meet higher expectations for safety, compliance, quality and energy performance.
Policy and regulation demand better insight
Social housing policy is shifting steadily towards stronger compliance and transparency. Providers are expected to maintain safe, good-quality homes, backed up by clear evidence. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme ties grant funding to measurable improvements in energy ratings (BER) and space-heating demand – meaning housing bodies must demonstrate outcomes, not just intentions.
At the same time, the Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) requires landlords to have accurate, up to date asset data to underpin governance, financial planning and tenant service. And with increasing scrutiny around issues such as damp, mould and disrepair, regulators and tenants alike expect robust record-keeping, fast response times, and proof that risks are being addressed. The direction of travel is unmistakable: data is no longer a back office add on. It is a compliance essential.
From surveys to sensors
Traditional stock condition surveys remain the backbone of asset management in Ireland – but they are being reimagined. Digital capture tools and mobile apps allow for standardised surveys, with data flowing directly into central systems for immediate use.
Beyond surveys, new technologies are becoming mainstream:
In-home sensors measuring humidity, temperature and CO₂ are being piloted in higher-risk homes to spot condensation and mould problems early.
Drone inspections are increasingly being used to survey roofs and façades, cutting costs, reducing health and safety risks, and helping landlords target repairs more precisely.
Integrated asset records – a “digital golden thread” – are starting to take shape, ensuring that design, maintenance and repair data for each building is joined up, accurate, and accessible.
These approaches give social housing landlords not just snapshots, but continuous streams of information that can transform how housing is managed.
Making data matter
Collecting information is only half the battle. The real challenge is turning it into better decisions:
Governance first – treat data as an asset in its own right, with clear ownership, validation processes, and integration across systems.
Risk-based models – focus on the risks that matter most: structural safety, fire, damp, decency and energy performance.
Operational integration – insights must feed directly into work orders, contractor instructions, and tenant communications so that data leads to action.
Budgetary outcomes – insights into planned maintenance generate budgets that lead to better and more streamline use of budgets to ensure money is being spent in the planned manner
Tenant outcomes – connect repairs, complaints and property data to reduce repeat visits and improve resident satisfaction.
Choosing the right data in Ireland
With budgets under pressure, “collect everything” isn’t realistic. Irish social housing providers are finding most value in focusing on three outcome areas:
Safety and compliance – evidence of stock condition, damp/mould tracking, inspection results and traceable repair records.
Energy and retrofit – baseline data on BERs, insulation, heating systems and building fabric to support retrofit planning and funding claims.
Tenant experience – linking property information with repairs, complaints and access records to improve trust, accountability and service quality.
The bottom line
Data alone won’t fix a roof or insulate a wall. But it will tell you which roof, which wall, and what to do first.
For tenants, that means warmer, safer homes with quicker responses and fewer surprises. For social housing bodies, it means stronger assurance, smarter investment, and stock that holds its value. And for the Irish social housing sector as a whole, it means a step change in accountability and performance – where evidence drives action, and tenants are the clear winners.
