Norse Homes Embraces Intelligent Smart Technology for Simpler Modern Housing.
Norse Homes, a sustainable-first SME housebuilder operating across both the affordable and bespoke open-market sectors, has become one of the first UK developers to integrate Tap, the intelligent light switch by Tewke, into new residential developments.
Forward-thinking Norse recognises the growing shift within the building sector toward data-led, performance-focused housing. By adopting Tap, Norse homes is actively responding to rising homeowner expectations, tightening regulations, and the long-term maintenance pressures facing both private developers and housing authorities.
Live Tap Trials
Norse Homes is currently installing Tap in every room of three forthcoming bespoke properties. These homes will function as full live-environment trials, demonstration homes for regional housing providers and local authorities, and evidence platforms to measure building performance, environmental conditions, and operational impact.
The trial will generate room-level data on temperature, moisture and air quality, enabling Norse to demonstrate how intelligent building technology can reduce running costs, improve environmental performance, and support more proactive long-term maintenance.
Carl Wilkinson, Managing Director at Norse Homes, recognised the value of Tap immediately. Carl comments: “We are empowering homeowners with better insight into how their home actually performs. Homes are organic systems that age over time, so data that can help homeowners manage room-level efficiency, coupled with the high level of personalised, automated control is a welcome addition to modernising builds.”
Plans to Scale
Following the initial installations, Norse plans to roll Tap out across a 30-plot development, including ten affordable homes. Data gathered from the three properties will be used to evidence long-term value to local authorities and regional housing providers, particularly around maintenance reduction, mould prevention, and EPC stability.
Addressing Slow Modernisation
Despite significant advances in other sectors, housebuilding has been slow to adopt integrated technology. Conservative specifications, rising material costs, and risk-averse planning processes have left many new homes relying on outdated approaches.
While vehicles have become fully integrated, software-driven systems, housing has largely failed to follow suit. Norse believes that intelligent, easy-to-install technology like Tap can help shift the mindset of the sector without disrupting established construction methods or architectural norms.
Monitoring Aging Home Health
Materials used in housing construction naturally shrink, swell, retain moisture, and deteriorate over decades. Tap enables continuous, room-by-room monitoring of environmental conditions, providing early warning of underperformance, excess moisture, or ventilation issues.
The insights provided by Tap are an attractive selling point for home buyers, especially as Tap will support mould prevention and moisture management, better comfort and energy efficiency, and improved understanding of a home’s performance long-term.
A Smart Approach to Affordable Housing
In affordable housing, tight budgets and strict maintenance requirements often prioritise low upfront cost over long-term performance. Norse aims to demonstrate that intelligent technology can reduce maintenance burdens over time by identifying issues early and enabling targeted intervention before problems escalate.
For local authorities facing increasing mould-related complaints and remediation costs, early detection can be the difference between a minor fix and a major expense.
Why Tap?
Tap by Tewke provides a whole-home intelligence layer through a single, easy-to-install light switch, combining lighting control, environmental monitoring, energy insights and automation at room level.
The key advantages for Norse include room-level visibility and control, which appeals to bespoke buyers, as well as the real-time environmental data on temperature, moisture and air quality that can help homeowners manage their home for better health and comfort. Norse also appreciates that Tap is easy to install as it is engineered specifically for UK construction and electricians, and that unlike other smart systems, Tap benefits from over-the-air updates ensuring the system remains current as energy systems and regulations evolve.
Building Smarter with Minimal Change
Crucially, Tap allows Norse to introduce modern, intelligent living into traditional builds without altering established architectural designs. Lighting automation and intuitive controls provide a 21st-century living experience while maintaining familiar construction practices.
Laying the Foundations for Future Housebuilding
Norse Homes’ early adoption of Tap reflects a broader belief that better buildings require better insight. As energy systems shift, regulations tighten and expectations continue to rise, data-driven technology is becoming essential rather than optional.
By embedding Tap into its developments, Norse is demonstrating how intelligent infrastructure can improve building performance, protect housing assets and deliver better outcomes for homeowners, developers and authorities alike.
Carl concludes: “Tap is not simply smart technology. It represents a foundational layer for the future of housebuilding.”
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About Tewke
Tewke is a climate technology startup, developing technology to enable a true smart grid, enabling optimised energy generation and consumption. Tewke’s first step on this journey is to control consumption, by developing the future of domestic energy optimisation and home automation devices. Headquartered in London, Tewke is developing technologies that can save energy in any home, whilst elevating the home living experience by making true home automation accessible. Tewke is a B Corp organisation and part of Google’s AI Energy Acceleration program, developing technology to help improve homes while reducing energy consumption.
Tewke is led by serial entrepreneur, Piers Daniell, who previously founded Fluidata (now FluidOne) in his bedroom in 2006 before growing it to over 150 employees and exiting in 2019. Sir James Wates is Chairman of Tewke, former Chairman of the Wates Group, one of the largest family-owned construction, development and property services company in the UK.
For more information on Tewke, please visit: https://www.tewke.com and join the conversation on LinkedIn.
Media contact:
Kerri Chard
The PR Room
Email: kerri.chard@theprroom.co.uk