Nedbank clients save over R50 million through the Senseable Geyser programme
Johannesburg – 13 August 2026
Close to 2 000 leak events detected and contained and about 10 000 geysers connected – 5 years in the making.
Cape Town, [Date] – Over the past 18 months, Nedbank’s Senseable Geyser programme has delivered over R50 million in energy savings for Nedbank Insurance clients. The programme’s technology, which is managed through the Sensor Connect app, monitors close to 10 000 connected geysers across South Africa. It has also detected and contained close to 2 000 leak events, preventing water damage before it escalates to a claim.
The programme is one of the largest deployments of insurance-embedded smart home technology in South Africa, in partnership with Cape Town-based Sensor Networks, which specialises in Internet of Things solutions. What began as a pilot 5 years ago has become a standard component of Nedbank’s home insurance offering.
When something goes wrong
The Sensor Networks’ smart controller is a device that retrofits onto a client’s existing geyser, available to Nedbank clients for a small monthly fee. It continuously monitors the geyser to detect leaks caused by a burst geyser, vacuum breakers and element failures or other sources.
When a leak is detected, the system closes the water supply valve immediately to contain the damage. An automated alert is sent to an incident management platform, which dispatches a qualified plumber with full details of the geyser alert, ensuring that the plumber arrives prepared instead of the client having to diagnose the problem, source a contractor or manage the process themselves.
For Nedbank Insurance, the result is a measurable reduction in the frequency and cost of water damage claims. For the client, it removes one of the most stressful household incidents they are likely to face.
Giving clients control
Beyond protection, the programme delivers ongoing value through the Sensor Connect app. Clients can monitor their geysers in real time, adjust temperature settings, set usage schedules and switch the unit off remotely. In South Africa, geysers account for up to 40% of household electricity consumption and managing that load directly translates into meaningful monthly savings.
Across the installed base, clients are saving an average of R402 per month on energy costs*. Some energy-efficient clients save over R600 per month.
From pilot to standard
Nedbank backed a technology that had not yet been proven at scale in the South African insurance space 5 years ago. The pilot phase was used to validate what smart geyser technology could deliver across real homes and real claim events. The results were consistent enough to justify sustained expansion, and the programme has annually grown steadily since.
'Nedbank is continuing to expand the programme across its home insurance client base, applying 5 years of operational learning to a broader population of policyholders,' says Loreal Raath, Support Services Manager at Nedbank Insurance.
Building the ecosystem
The programme extends beyond technology. Sensor Networks has trained over 400 plumbers across South Africa in smart-geyser installation and management, equipping tradespeople with the skills to work with connected-home technology. The initiative raises the standard of geyser installation nationally and ensures that the growing base of smart devices is supported by a technically capable network of professionals.
'We asked Nedbank to back a technology that had never been proven at scale in South African insurance 5 years ago. They did. The R50 million in energy savings delivered to our clients over the past 18 months, and thousands of leak events contained, is the answer to whether it was worth it,' says Mark Allewell, Chief Executive Officer of Sensor Networks.
About Sensor Networks
Sensor Networks designs, manufactures and deploys smart geyser management technology from its base in Cape Town. Its platform manages over 15 000 devices nationally across insurance, energy and consumer segments.
* Savings calculated against a baseline of 65°C with no scheduling – the standard plumbing practice where installers set the thermostat high to ensure adequate hot water and avoid callback visits – at R3.20 per kWh.
