Infrared imaging for energy performance certificate
June 1st 2007

As well as being used in industrial premises for condition monitoring of components within a production line, thermal imaging can be used for energy performance surveys that will aid assessment for the forthcoming energy labelling requirement. Flir Systems explains

he energy performance certificate grades the energy efficiency of a property on a scale of A-G, suggesting its potential level of fuel consumption and therefore its impact on the environment.When introduced the law will require that when a building is constructed, sold or rented-out an EPC of not more than 10 years old must be made available by the owner. And it doesn't just apply to homes. As well as residential properties all public and commercial buildings, including offices, hotels, schools, hospitals and leisure facilities will require energy certificates.

Certified home inspectors and energy assessors are the professionals charged with the responsibility of predicting the energy efficiency of the property for certification. One tool they could be using is a thermal imaging camera.

This is a powerful, non-invasive technique used to monitor and diagnose the condition of buildings.

Results of an infrared survey have a direct correlation to energy loss especially when the camera chosen has been designed with buildingspecific features such as dedicated alarms.

The Flir Systems B-Series has been developed to provide every facility to make an inspectors' job as easy and efficient as possible. The range is also extremely broad so there is a model to suit every budget and all levels of application, from simple spot checks to detailed insulation analysis. Two new models have recently been introduced to the range providing even greater scope for thermal based analysis.

The latest low end addition is the ThermaCAM BCAM SD. Its cost belies its many features that include a removable SD card able to store more than 1000 radiometric .jpeg images. It also has application specific functions that were previously only available on higher cost cameras. For example, in addition to the dew point alarm that identifies areas at risk from condensation, the BCAM SD has an insulation alarm.

This separate function allows the operator to determine immediately whether or not a building is well insulated. All that is required is for a temperature measurement of the outside face of a wall to be taken and critical surface temperature factor applied. When the temperature is then taken of the inside face of the same wall the new feature will calculate which areas are inadequately insulated and highlight them in an 'alarm' colour on the infrared image.

At the top end of the ThermaCAM B-Series is the new ThermaCAM B640. It naturally has all the alarm features of the BCAM SD but also provides four-times the resolution of any other portable model on the market. This performance is thanks to its 640 x 480 pixels detector giving more than 307,000 measuring points instead of 76,800 available on the standard 320 x 240 option. The camera demonstrates the optimum combination of detector, lens and software to achieve peak performance.

High resolution is particularly important in the building industry as it allows smaller targets to be spotted and measured accurately at greater distances. The camera's field of view is larger and therefore fewer images need to be taken. On average 25% fewer images are required on a typical survey, an important factor for an inspector or assessor seeking to get the job done quicker and more efficiently.

Thermal imaging is a technique for inspecting all building structures and its flexibility can provide a rapid return on the camera cost. In addition to determining energy loss it is ideal for locating water and air leaks and detecting construction failures such as unsealed windows, faulty glazing and detachment of wall plaster. It can check the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, monitor the drying of water leaks and provide highly valuable information for re-development planning and quality assurance on fire protection.

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