CEO, ZapCarbon
Over the past year, we’ve been busy with development, testing, and collaboration with landlords across the UK, and this feels like the right time to explain where the platform is heading and what it will mean for how dampness, mould, and home health are managed.
We were recently shortlisted for the Housing Innovation Awards 2026 in the ‘Best Use of IoT in Housing’ category. We are delighted by this news, but for us, the real story is the work happening behind the scenes. What we are releasing in 2026 is the culmination of nearly three years of work: building the data foundations, refining the sensing platform, and developing AI models that translate environmental patterns into reliable predictions.
The Challenge
Three years in the making
Where we are taking ZapIQ next
ZapIQ is entering a new phase in 2026, shaped by almost three years of focused development and real-world testing. This work has been carried out quietly in the background, building the capability needed for genuine prediction rather than simple measurement.
ZapIQ is evolving into a system that does three things extremely well.
1. Measure what matters
Our sensors capture the environmental indicators that matter most: humidity, temperature, moisture recovery, ventilation patterns, cold rooms and unusual spikes linked to leaks.
They use national NB-IoT connectivity, last more than 10 years, and can be installed in minutes. This keeps costs low and rollout simple.
2. Turn patterns into predictions
This is the biggest shift in the platform, and the result of years of groundwork. We have been training AI models on thousands of real homes to understand the environmental signatures behind common issues, including:
- Extractor fan failure
- Insulation and heat-loss problems
- Hidden plumbing leaks
- Persistent cold homes linked to fuel poverty
- Homes are likely to re-enter the “mould formation zone”
This predictive work is the culmination of a multi-year effort to build long-term datasets, validate them across different property types and refine the algorithms to a standard we trust. The models being released in 2026 reflect that sustained development.
The goal is to provide landlords with early warnings that are accurate, consistent, and genuinely useful for planning work.
3. Support the full compliance cycle
ZapIQ is being shaped around Awaab’s Law and broader regulatory expectations. The platform supports:
- early detection
- prioritisation
- inspection evidence
- post-repair monitoring
- escalation when behavioural or heating factors exist
- visibility across entire portfolios
This gives you a complete picture, not just a snapshot.
What’s coming in 2026
A brief note on the awards
Being shortlisted for the Housing Innovation Awards is a positive sign, but it’s not the focus. If anything, it reinforces that the sector is ready to move from reactive maintenance to predictive, AI-supported prevention.
The meaningful shift happens in 2026.
Product updates
The ZapIQ 2026 release cycle includes:
- Next-generation risk models for heat loss and insulation
- Improved leak detection
- Better multi-room pattern analysis with our Companion sensor
- Clearer post-repair/ intevention monitoring logic
- Property-level and portfolio-level predictive scoring
- Stronger integrations with NEC, P360, Plentific and MiHub
We’ll share more as each release goes live.
Pilots for 2026
We will be opening a limited number of ZapIQ AI pilots in 2026.
These pilots will focus on the predictive features developed over the last three years, giving landlords the opportunity to validate the models across different property types before wider rollout.
If you would like your organisation to be considered for a 2026 pilot, please let me know or click on the button, and we can arrange a conversation.
Thank you
We are grateful to every client, partner and pilot group who have helped us shape ZapIQ to this point. Your feedback has been invaluable, and it will continue to guide the platform’s evolution in 2026 and beyond.
If you’d like to discuss the roadmap, explore the AI models in more detail, or understand how ZapIQ can support your teams next winter, I’m always happy to set up a conversation.
Warm regards,
Dale Holroyd
CEO, ZapCarbon
