Assessing the severity of workmanship defects using thermography and 2-D and 3-D heat transfer models
Author
Taylor, Tim
Counsell, John
Gill, Steve
Oakley, Gerraint
Date
2013-09Type
Presentation
Publisher
Verlag der Technischen Universität Graz
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The effectiveness of insulation in reducing heat loss depends to an important extent on the quality of its installation. For new buildings, it is advantageous if the performance of insulation can be checked before construction work is complete. This enables problems to be rectified before the building is occupied. The research presented in this paper is investigating how thermal imaging techniques (thermography) can be used during the construction of new domestic buildings to assess construction quality and the energy efficiency of the building fabric. Thermal imaging surveys are usually conducted post-construction and so this approach to testing constitutes a novel area of practice. Further insights into the results of a thermal imaging survey can be gained from computational models of heat transfer through the building envelope. The particular focus of the paper is how these virtual models and thermography can be used in a complementary way to diagnose and assess the severity of insulation defects in construction work. This idea is explored through three case studies, which illustrate some practical considerations for the application of thermography during the construction process. The research topic will be of interest to built environment professionals, thermographers and researchers interested in methods of investigating the thermal performance of new housing.
Citation
Taylor, T., Counsell, J., Gill, S. & Oakley, G. (2013). Assessing the severity of workmanship defects using thermography and 2-D and 3-D heat transfer models. In the proceedings of SB13 Graz Sustainable Building Conference, 25-28 September 2013, Graz, Austria. pp. 1342–1352.
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Checking "fabric first" really works: in-construction tests using thermography
Taylor, Tim; Counsell, John; Geens, Andrew; Gill, Steve; Oakley, Gerraint (2012-10-10)The UK Government strategy for all new homes to be built to zero carbon standards by 2016 is based upon a "fabric first" approach to design. This means prioritising energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope ... -
Combining thermography and computer simulation to identify and assess insulation defects in the construction of building façades
Taylor, Tim; Counsell, John; Gill, Steve (Elsevier, 2014-03-12)Thermography is a non-destructive testing technique used to evaluate the thermal performance of buildings, typically post-construction. However, establishing objective criteria for the interpretation of test results is not ... -
Energy efficiency is more than skin deep: Improving construction quality control in new-build housing using thermography
Taylor, Tim; Counsell, John; Gill, Steve (Elsevier, 2013-11-01)Objective The objective of the research is to investigate the scope for testing the thermal performance of the building envelope during the construction process using thermography. The purpose of these tests is to enable ...