Big Penny Social Case Study

Early water leak detection in the hospitality industry

Big Penny Social uses LAIIER's Severn WLD™ devices to detect and monitor both known and unknown leaks in its 35,000ft2 flagship entertainment venue in London, UK.

About Big Penny Social

Founded in 2020, Big Penny Social is a venue that serves as a pub, arts center and town square for the residents of Walthamstow, London. It’s the eponymously-named company’s flagship venue, boasting approximately 35,000ft2, and serving up to 1,400 people at any given time.

With a background in both hospitality and product innovation, it was natural that founder Michael-George Hemus looked to technology to optimize the venue’s operation and management.

“Smart technologies have already had a transformative effect in many aspects of our personal and professional lives,” commented Michael George. “It’s common sense to look for tech-enabled solutions to automate time-consuming manual tasks, particularly if technologies reliably provide accurate data streams that can feed into business decision-making.”

The challenge: Detecting both known and unknown leaks

The Big Penny Social team had already identified two areas with known leaks that needed monitoring:

  1. The flat roof, which leaks occasionally, depending on the intensity of the rain. The team wanted to gather data to better understand how severe the leak is, in order to optimize planning for repairs.

  2. The bar waste pipe, which removes overflow from drinks spillage into the waste system. A previous leak resulted in expensive repairs, so the team wanted to proactively monitor for future leaks. Since it’s a tight space and isn’t connected to water supply systems, other detection methods don’t work.

But knowing that undetected leaks can cause significant (and expensive) damage, they identified a further five areas to monitor for leaks, including appliances like dishwashers and ice making machines, and sanitaryware in bathrooms.

The solution: A quick, tool-free installation of Severn WLD™ devices

The actual installation of the Severn WLD devices was very quick and easy. With the out-of-the-box settings proving a good match for Big Penny Social’s intended uses, it was simply a case of the team installing the LAIIER Cloud gateway, identifying the sites where the devices should be placed, and completing the install.

The small and flexible form factor of the Severn WLD device meant that it fit into tight spaces where other sensors couldn’t, like under the bar waste pipe. And when it was installed in a visible space - for example, to monitor the existing roof leak - its unobtrusive design meant it faded into the background, rather than creating a distracting focal point.

“We have a limited time window when staff are onsite but customers aren’t,” said Michael-George. “While we’d been promised a fast installation, we were still surprised at how quick the process was. And being tool-free, there was no additional cleanup required, meaning we could open on time, as scheduled.”

Michael-George Hemus

“Detecting leaks at an early stage is key to avoiding serious damage for any commercial building. Having experienced the value of the data that LAIIER’s solution has already generated for our business, we’re excited to see how other hospitality businesses use it in the future.”

Michael-George Hemus
Founder, Big Penny Social

Big Penny Social

 

The result: Adding value from day 1

Just 2 weeks on from installation, the Big Penny Social team was alerted to leaks from the bar waste pipe - leaks that otherwise may have gone undetected and caused damage.

The device monitoring the roof leak has also alerted the team multiple times, thanks to London’s unpredictable weather. In addition to the alerts, the team now has access to a steady stream of data that allows them to analyze leak severity, and continue to build an optimized model for timing roof repairs.

“Proactive financial planning for infrastructure repairs is vital, particularly for hospitality businesses that operate on slim margins,” remarked Michael-George. “Deploying LAIIER’s Severn WLD has given us a much clearer picture of the frequency and severity of leaks in our premises, which has enabled us to strategically plan works in a cost-effective manner.”

Big Penny Social are continuing to run the devices at their flagship site. 

“Detecting leaks at an early stage is key to avoiding serious damage for any commercial building,” said Michael-George. “Having experienced the value of the data that LAIIER’s solution has already generated for our business, we’re excited to see how other hospitality businesses use it in the future.”