Clouding over - Forecast of big change for the housing sector
Published: Fri, February 17, 2012
The last few years have seen a revolution in the housing sector thanks to new technologies that are creating a more connected world. The next few years could see an even more dramatic change, as these technologies take the emerging world of cloud computing mainstream - changing the way housing sector employees and their tenants work and live.
For a long time cloud has been an exciting prospect for the sector, but one that’s always just around the corner. Using the cloud means accessing software and services which are stored remotely. Until now, doing so effectively has relied on ultra high speed connections, which can be prohibitively expensive.
But this is about to change. New network services designed for Cloud services are enabling high speed, stable networks at a fraction of the price.
Ethernet has long been used to rapidly transfer data around office networks, but the technology has now been adapted to work across national broadband networks in a way that delivers consistently high bandwidth. This will allow housing associations to access the benefits of the cloud, which have until now been largely the preserve of big business.
Cloud can now fulfil its long-awaited promise for the organisations and individuals that make up the housing industry. In the coming years housing associations will be able to take advantages of the many services that cloud already offers, and that in turn will stimulate new technologies, software and services that can benefit the sector.
What is the cloud?
‘The cloud’ generally refers to remote computer systems that store data and host software, which can be used by anyone who has been granted access. Rather than holding all the files, programmes and data in a shiny box in the office, it is all stored online and can be accessed anytime, anywhere, using any device - desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile phone.
This has several important implications for modern organisations:
- Data is all in one place, so it is easy to combine and analyse it, and use the results to help everyone work more efficiently.
- Data is stored remotely so if one office goes down, users can carry on their work from another location with minimal disruption.
- Services and software are delivered remotely, so no time or money is spent setting up networks and security – this is all handled by the cloud provider. All that is required is an internet-enabled terminal to access if from.
- Everything can be accessed from a huge variety of devices – in the office, at home or on the road, enabling staff to collaborate and share information more effectively, and reducing barriers to customers accessing services.
- Services can be developed and delivered through the cloud, so any service can be accessed through a subscription or on a per use basis. The result is a more efficient use of the IT budget because there is no need to spend money upfront on expensive software.
What does it mean for housing?
Cloud computing, if embraced, has huge potential to save money, improve productivity and drive up performance for housing sector organisations. It also has the power to increase quality of life for housing tenants.
The benefits cloud can bring to the housing sector can be loosely divided into organisational efficiency and tenant services.
- Organisational efficiency is about using technology to cut costs and reduce inefficiencies by making collaboration between employees easier, improving business resilience, and driving up productivity through a slicker remote workforce.
- Tenant services are about improving the lives of customers. Cloud computing can help deliver more services for lower costs, whilst increasing customer satisfaction and fulfilling responsibilities to tenants.
Over four million adults in social housing have never used the internet. Local authorities could save around £360m per year by moving one monthly contact or transaction with all these adults online. Well designed cloud services can help tenants find jobs, allow older people to live at home safely and help protect the most vulnerable.[1]
Before these commercial and social advantages can be realised, we have to remove some significant barriers to benefitting from cloud. These relate to the lack of suitable connectivity and potential reluctance from users to take up new technology.
This report looks at some of the opportunities for cloud computing in housing and examines how we can overcome the challenges in order to benefit from them. It identifies four areas where technology can make significant improvements to business performance and tenants’ lives in the next few years. The report concludes with a walkthrough of how these technologies can be implemented effectively.
This report has been compiled through detailed interviews with senior IT professionals in housing associations and related organisations, and extensive reviews of existing research and case studies in the housing sector and cloud computing.
Please click here to down the full 16 page report
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