Thermographic Infrared Maps Used To Highlight Energy Consumption (VIDEO)

Thermographic infrared maps are being used in Antwerp, Belgium to put the spotlight on buildings' energy consumption, Reuters reports.

The birds-eye view offers residents the ability to compare their energy conservation with that of their neighbors, and often prompts those with poor findings to seek out home remodeling efforts that will better conserve energy, such as new insulation.

The maps are color coded, with red and yellow indicating wasted heat, while blues and grays show buildings with better conservation. The maps currently cover an area of about 270 square miles in and around Antwerp -- the largest of its kind in Europe.

WATCH:

Comments

[Genders]

01:16 AM on 09/27/2010

Google could do this worldwide.

[StephenBP]

10:03 AM on 08/20/2010

This is great. A thermal image has a number of weaknesses but can be a great tool if used correctly. For instance, with a series of houses with the same type of roof, the difference from house to house should tell something, especially at night.

Of course, this technology has a lot of drawback. It requires using technology with expertise, it offends libertaria­ns and teabaggers­, it could potentiall­y be used to conserve resources, it could help cut down on energy waste, it could improve air quality, it could save money for homeowners­, and, here is the real killer, it could potentiall­y cut into oil company profits. Can’t have that. Better put down this idea like a rabid animal……

[thstone]

04:40 PM on 08/18/2010

This is wrong. A thermal image only shows APPARENT temperatur­es, not actual temps. The difference is that some building materials emit different amounts of energy in the infrared spectrum. Furthermor­e, external temperatur­es are NOT in any way indicative of building efficiency­. What does a hot roof of a building mean? NOTHING! The temp of the roof has nothing to do with the internal temp of the building or how efficient the building uses power.

[verypragmatic]

08:44 PM on 08/19/2010

yeah... but when has "wrong" ever stopped a bureaucrat­? Welcome to the 21st century version of The DMV.

[PlayTOE]

04:19 PM on 08/18/2010

This is a great idea and will really help homeowners see where savings can be achieved.
I hope other cities begin doing the same.

[Oregonian76]

01:29 PM on 08/18/2010

Maybe a nitpick... did the author listen to the video?

The text in the article says "about 270 square miles" but the narrator clearly says "about 430 square miles". How can you be THAT far off?

Anyway, very neat tool that I hope gains enough traction to get used all over the world.

[Joshua Weiner]

02:47 PM on 08/18/2010

The video says 700 square kilometers­, which was then converted incorrectl­y into square miles. You can do the math yourself if you want: 700 km^2 x (0.62 mile)^2 = 700 km^2 x .38 = about 270 miles^2

[Oregonian76]

03:22 PM on 08/18/2010

I didn't do the math... my bad. But really, that means we don't know the truth either way. It is 270 or 430? Maybe the square-km measuremen­t is the incorrect one...

Argh...

[JerryAguy]

12:16 PM on 08/18/2010

And how long will it take for a Federal Officer to show up at your home or place of business with a warrent for your overuse of energy.
Al "Gore calls for major protests on government­'s climate change inaction" it's like saying their will be a riot and your invited. Free publicity for his investment­s and companies I think Mr. Gore would certainly be the beneficery of, if a few people get hurt it's just the cost of business.

[ragtally]

11:42 AM on 08/18/2010

looks like alot of the waste is coming from the street lights and roadways maybe the goverment should look into that,how about energy saving lamps for the roadsides the ones that are powered by the sun

[Tom95134]

04:18 AM on 08/18/2010

So what is so new about this? This is the same technique that the cops use to detect houses where people may be growing pot indoors.

[sympathyforthedevil]

11:22 PM on 08/18/2010

If you have evidence cops are doing that, you should report them. The Supreme Court ruled that using thermograp­hy accounted to unreasonab­le search in Kyllo v. United States.

[YeahDonkey]

01:44 AM on 08/19/2010

They just use that as the Probable cause to search your power bill, then when they see how much energy your using they start the investigat­ion.

[studmoose]

01:20 AM on 08/18/2010

I had this done to one of my homes to see where if the house can be made even more efficient. If you build a house, make sure that you have an environmen­tal engineer work with the architect to make sure the ac/heating is properly designed. The placement of the vents and returns can lead to vast savings in energy.

[colorado rubin]

07:53 PM on 08/17/2010

I need to finish my warp drive engine so that it will wash out every other image.

[Bolkonsky]

07:02 PM on 08/17/2010

Pretty maps - sure beats corexit oysters and tritium water.

http://www­.rmi.org/r­mi/

[thundermummy]

06:00 PM on 08/17/2010

This is how they are going to find the grow lights. Damn DEA!

[Dnietz]

01:38 AM on 08/18/2010

easy to shield if you spend a little effort and know what you are doing

[Tom95134]

04:19 AM on 08/18/2010

"going to"? This is the way they have been doing it for years.

[AJH]

05:59 PM on 08/17/2010

That does it, I'm gonna get a bunch of firemens emergency bags to put under my next roof.

[Dnietz]

01:38 AM on 08/18/2010

what are firemens emergency bags?

[AJH]

01:57 AM on 08/18/2010

the survival sacks smoke jumpers are issued in case the fire burns back over them so they don't get cooked.
http://www­.nwcg.gov/­pms/pubs/n­ewshelt72.­pdf

[marley0318]

05:47 PM on 08/17/2010

I wonder if there is a way to capture the heat from the streets and use it somehow?

[marignymitch]

05:28 PM on 08/17/2010

It looks like those streets are wasting a lot of energy.

[barkingcat]

05:51 PM on 08/17/2010

Agreed...d­amn those streets!

[Dnietz]

01:39 AM on 08/18/2010

LMAO

[cef911f1]

08:15 AM on 08/18/2010

That was the first thing I noticed as well. This is not new technology either as many other posters have pointed out.