For housing authorities, municipalities, and First Nations communities considering remote monitoring, the most common question isn't "does it work?" — it's "how do I know it will work for my specific situation?"
That's exactly what a pilot program is designed to answer. A well-structured 90-day pilot gives you real data from your actual properties, in your actual conditions, with your actual maintenance team responding to real alerts.
Here's exactly what to expect.
## Why a Pilot Program Makes Sense
Remote monitoring technology is proven — the sensors, cellular networks, and monitoring platforms have been deployed in thousands of properties across Canada. But every portfolio is different. Your properties have different ages, different heating systems, different levels of occupancy, and different risk profiles.
A pilot program lets you:
- **Validate the technology** in your specific conditions (Saskatchewan winters are not gentle)
- **Train your maintenance team** on how to respond to alerts before a real emergency occurs
- **Build the evidence base** for a funding application or board approval for full deployment
- **Identify your highest-risk properties** based on actual monitoring data
- **Establish alert thresholds** that work for your portfolio without generating excessive false alarms
## Selecting Properties for the Pilot
The most valuable pilot programs focus on properties that represent your highest-risk situations. When selecting pilot properties, consider:
**Vacancy status.** Vacant or intermittently occupied properties are your highest risk — no one is present to notice problems. These should be your first priority.
**Age and condition.** Older properties with aging heating systems and inadequate insulation are more likely to generate meaningful alerts during the pilot period.
**Geographic distribution.** If your portfolio spans a large area, select pilot properties that represent different locations and conditions.
**Historical problem properties.** If you have properties that have had freeze events, water damage, or heating failures in the past, these are strong candidates for the pilot.
A typical pilot covers 3–10 properties. Fewer properties give you less data; more properties increase the complexity of managing the pilot.
## The Installation Process
Installation of a monitoring system is straightforward and typically takes 2–4 hours per property. Here's what happens:
**Site assessment.** Before installation, we assess the property to identify the optimal locations for sensors — near water pipes, in mechanical rooms, in crawl spaces, and in living areas. We also assess cellular signal strength to confirm the gateway will have reliable connectivity.
**Gateway installation.** The cellular gateway is installed in a central location with good cellular signal. It plugs into a standard outlet and begins transmitting immediately.
**Sensor placement.** Wireless sensors are placed throughout the property. Temperature sensors go near water pipes and in mechanical rooms. Water detection sensors go on the floor near water heaters and under sinks. Humidity sensors go in basements and crawl spaces.
**Alert configuration.** We configure alert thresholds based on your preferences and the specific risk profile of the property. We also set up the contact list — who receives alerts, in what order, and through what channels (SMS, email, phone call).
**System verification.** Before leaving, we verify that all sensors are transmitting, the gateway has cellular connectivity, and test alerts are received by designated contacts.
## What Happens During the 90-Day Pilot
Once the system is installed, it monitors continuously without requiring any action from your team — unless an alert is triggered.
**Week 1–2: Baseline establishment.** The system establishes baseline readings for temperature, humidity, and other parameters at each property. This helps identify properties that are already running cold or have elevated humidity.
**Ongoing: Alert response.** When an alert is triggered, your designated contacts receive notifications. Your maintenance team responds according to your established protocol. We track alert frequency, response times, and outcomes.
**Monthly: Review and adjustment.** We review alert data with your team monthly and adjust thresholds if needed. If a property is generating too many alerts (or too few), we fine-tune the configuration.
**Day 90: Pilot summary.** At the end of the pilot, we provide a comprehensive summary of:
- Total alerts generated and their causes
- Response times and outcomes
- Properties identified as highest risk
- Estimated maintenance cost avoidance
- Recommendations for full deployment
## What You Will Learn
A 90-day pilot generates valuable insights that go beyond simply evaluating the technology:
**Your actual risk profile.** Many housing authorities are surprised by which properties generate the most alerts. Properties that seem low-risk often have hidden vulnerabilities that only continuous monitoring reveals.
**Your team's response capacity.** How quickly does your maintenance team respond to alerts? Are there gaps in coverage (evenings, weekends, holidays) that need to be addressed?
**Alert threshold calibration.** What temperature threshold generates actionable alerts without creating alert fatigue? This varies by property type, age, and location.
**Seasonal patterns.** Even a 90-day pilot that spans the fall-to-winter transition will reveal seasonal patterns in heating system performance and property vulnerability.
## After the Pilot: The Path to Full Deployment
At the end of the pilot, you'll have everything you need to make an informed decision about full deployment:
- Real data on system performance in your conditions
- A trained maintenance team familiar with the alert response process
- Documented evidence of value for funding applications or board presentations
- A clear understanding of which properties to prioritize for full deployment
Saskatchewan Remote Guardians works with housing authorities through the full deployment process, from procurement support to installation coordination to ongoing monitoring support.
If you're ready to evaluate remote monitoring for your portfolio, contact our team to discuss a pilot program designed for your specific situation.
