Resident Wellbeing

The importance of wellbeing for residents in PBSA is nothing new, but as supply and demand shifts, the value of wellbeing only increases; and it is taking its new position as a value driver, beyond just a retention and rebooking social good.

The Class Foundation’s European Student Living Monitor has highlighted concerns relating to students’ wellbeing in the UK. The report uses the MHI‑5 – a globally recognised and widely used measure of mental wellbeing. Scores range from 0 to 100, with anything below 60 indicating poor mental health. UK student’s MHI‑5 score was found to be 51.8 – significantly below the “okay” threshold of 60, showing that the case for using real-time data to support wellbeing has never been stronger. The Utopi Platform delivers the environmental and occupancy insights Operators and Asset Managers need to take action, improve wellbeing, and boost asset value.

Key drivers of student wellbeing and asset value, as highlighted in the European Student Living Monitor, and the Health Drives Value Report include:

• Community Engagement: Residents in socially vibrant communities exhibit higher satisfaction levels, fostering a sense of belonging and social connectedness.
• Living Spaces: Student happiness is intricately tied to well-designed and well-maintained living spaces.
• Positive Perception: Tenant satisfaction and feelings of living in spaces that are truly invested in their wellbeing drive NPS, pushing up occupancy rates.

The impact of resident wellbeing is clear, and vital, but where does data come into play in supporting the future of PBSA?

Where building data is driving REAL value – 

Granular Insights, Better Decisions.

Students thrive when their environment is optimised. Poor air quality, erratic temperatures and overcrowded shared spaces all undermine comfort and mental health. Utopi captures billions of live data points, feeding dashboards on the Utopi Platform with 6 environmental data metrics, offering operators a peek behind the curtain.

Operator benefit:

• Pinpoint exactly where conditions deviate from comfort norms (using Utopi’s ‘Comfort Score’ or using the Utopi Heatmap for temperature analysis).
• Prioritise refurbishment or retrofit spend based on data-backed evidence, allowing for smarter budgeting.
• Streamline ESG reporting with automated, auditable data feeds into sustainable certifications including GRESB and BREEAM.

Resident benefit:

• Enjoy stable, healthy indoor environments that support study and rest.
• Feel confident that common areas are safe and comfortable.
• Gain trust in a building that “knows” their needs and acts proactively.
• By replacing periodic spot‑checks with continuous monitoring, you transform guesswork into strategic action.
• Personalised resident experiences, enhanced by data-driven insights, creating living environments where students thrive and choose to rebook.

Tackle Overheating at the Source.

As highlighted in The Utopi PBSA Market Validation Report, 85% of students use a window to regulate the temperature in their room rather than adjusting the heater, an inefficient stopgap that puts both comfort and energy targets at risk. Implementing a centralised energy control system enables a more streamlined and sustainable approach, tailored to the needs of your building.

Operator benefit:

• Automated temperature controls cut overheating cases at the source, with Utopi Smart Panel Heaters generating up to 20% gross savings on heating costs, and Utopi Smart TRVs saving up to 35% on heating costs.
• Avoid the reputational hit of student complaints or poor reviews.
• Free-up the time of site teams to focus on strategic upgrades and other day‑to‑day issues.

Resident benefit:

• Consistent, comfortable temperatures without manual intervention.
• A quieter, more restful environment that bolsters wellbeing.
• Autonomy within pre-defined temperature parameters, that respects their comfort while reducing waste.

Engage Students, Build Community.

Empowering residents to see and act on their own data creates a culture of shared responsibility. You can use Utopi’s open API to feed into your existing resident app, or The Utopi Resident App powered by Spaceflow, to present live dashboards on energy and water use, and introduce gamification into resident engagement around themes of sustainability and energy management.

Operator benefit:

• Engage residents without the need for restrictive control, empowering them to make changes to their behaviour without excessive intervention.
• Launch sustainability campaigns with measurable targets and real‑time feedback.
• Demonstrate ESG credentials to investors via logged resident engagement metrics.

Resident benefit:

• Track their own usage and impact; to see the changes that their habits can make on their carbon emissions.
• Participate in building‑wide challenges (for example, “reduce your energy use by 10% this month”).
• See the tangible impact of eco‑habits, working with the other residents in their building to create pride and community spirit.

Optimise Common‑Area Use.

Communal kitchens, study lounges, and social spaces must hit the sweet spot between liveliness and crowding. Utopi’s motion and occupancy sensors deliver granular, real-time data to The Utopi Platform, so operators know exactly when and how their spaces are being used.

Operator benefit:

• Schedule cleaning and maintenance around proven usage.
• Know what communal areas and amenities are needed in future refurbishments or construction: invest where it counts.
  • In one asset, our client used lift shaft usage data to influence their future design in an asset under construction, slashing costs by identifying underused lift amenities.
• Tailor marketing and event planning to genuine student habits, encouraging sustainable behaviours to address the asset’s most prevalent issues.

Resident benefit:

• Enter shared spaces that are designed and maintained with them in mind.
• Enjoy well‑timed community events that fit peak usage patterns.
• Experience properly maintained spaces that match demand, creating an environment that supports resident’s lifestyle, not just their tenancy, and boosting feelings of belonging and happiness.

With student wellbeing now linked directly to retention, rebooking, and long-term asset performance, having access to live, actionable data is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s essential

Utopi gives you the tools to monitor comfort, optimise engagement, and drive measurable outcomes across your portfolio. From environmental sensors to ESG-ready reporting, The Utopi Platform supports better decisions for residents and delivers proven returns for operators and investors.

Want to improve wellbeing and protect value in your PBSA assets?
Request a demo today.