Making Heat Visible: Promoting Energy Conservation Behaviors Through Thermal Imaging

Householders play a role in energy conservation through the decisions they make about purchases and installations such as insulation, and through their habitual behavior. The present U.K. study investigated the effect of thermal imaging technology on energy conservation, by measuring the behavioral effect after householders viewed images of heat escaping from or cold air entering their homes. In Study 1 (n = 43), householders who received a thermal image reduced their energy use at a 1-year follow-up, whereas householders who received a carbon footprint audit and a non-intervention control demonstrated no change. In Study 2 (n = 87), householders were nearly 5 times more likely to install draught proofing measures after seeing a thermal image. The effect was especially pronounced for actions that addressed an issue visible in the images. Findings indicate that using thermal imaging to make heat loss visible can promote energy conservation

Delivering sustainable buildings in retail construction

Session: Sustainability: Theory and Design The article can be viewed at: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2012-1455-1465_Dangana_Pan_Goodhew.pdfThe demand for high performance 'green' or 'sustainable' buildings is becoming increasingly important in the retail industry. Large construction companies in this sector have started to show leadership by working with their customers and supply chains towards sustainability in both products and operations. However, it remains associated risks be minimised, in order to add value and differentiate the output of retail construction. This paper reviews the practice of sustainable buildings within the context of retail construction, and also explores how the UK mainstream retail sector is currently addressing the challenges of sustainable retail buildings. The arguments are informed by a combination of literature review, a desk study of sustainability strategies of large client organisations and construction companies, and a case study with a leading construction company in the UK. The results demonstrate that businesses can benefit from embracing a sustainable approach while they need to adapt their business models to the rapidly changing environment. A demand-driven sustainability agenda is called for in the UK retail sector. The results also provide the basis for an in-depth, longitudinal case study to develop a framework to optimize process, energy and carbon efficiency in retail construction using sustainable technology. Such a framework should provide a sustainable technology model for retail customers to realize the full benefits of sustainable buildings and also assist construction companies and their professional advisors deliver green buildings more efficiently in the future

Validation of data analysis routines for a thermal probe apparatus using numerical data sets

Most thermal properties of construction materials used in the analysis of building performance have been measured under laboratory conditions, using a guarded hot box or hot plate apparatus. As a consequence, these properties seldom reflect the impact of actual conditions (especially moisture content) on the values of conductivity and diffusivity. Hence there is a need to develop techniques that allow to take into account local conditions, and measure building material properties in situ. One option available is the use of a thermal probe. The thermal probe technique is based on creating a line source in a material sample, and measuring the temperature rise in the sample in reaction to heat being applied. Obviously the data analysis routines used to calculate thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity based on the temperature rise observed are crucial to the success of the technique. Transient thermal simulation of a of a model representing a line source in an infinite material sample has been used to generate a set of numerical data sets to validate analysis routines in conjunction with an experimental thermal probe apparatus. Findings show that by careful application of these routines, a close agreement with simulation input values can be achieved, with errors of less than one percent. This validates the analysis routines and provides a deeper appreciation of the theoretical behaviour of a thermal probe

Contractors Perspective on the Selection of Innovative Sustainable Technologies for Achieving Zero Carbon Retail Buildings

The use of innovative sustainable technologies (IST) has been regarded as an effective approach to enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions of buildings. However, contractors face significant challenges in the selection of IST. The reported challenges in the literature include: lack of skills and knowledge, uncertainties, risks and the rapid development of a large number of technological alternatives and decision criteria. The selection process emerges as a multi-attribute, value-based task that includes both qualitative and quantitative factors, which are often assessed with imprecise data and human judgments. This paper aims to establish the decision criteria for the selection of IST for achieving low carbon existing retail buildings with a focus on the main contractor’s perspective. The arguments are informed by the combination of literature review and an in-depth case study with a UK leading contractor. Five broad decision criteria are identified systematically drawing on the contractor’s practice. The established criteria are weighted and ranked using the analytic hierarchy process and expert opinions; with ‘margin opportunity’ being the most important, followed by ‘repeat business’, ‘investment costs’, ‘differentiation’ and then ‘transferability’. The findings should facilitate the integration of various facets of the selection process and stimulate contractors to use IST

An assessment of the potential returns of energy certificates for the UK household sector

Purpose – This article seeks to investigate the interconnections between the expectations of the impact of energy certificates issued within the UK domestic building sector through the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the actual number and financial implications of the energy saving measures (ESMs) achieved. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology uses two previously published surveys and compares these with a third independent survey by the authors focusing upon the discrepancies between planned action and implemented action, introducing the term human factor element (hfe). Findings – The article concludes that annual carbon savings arising from implementation of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) may be as low as 73.4?ktC over the five year term of the Kyoto Protocol even though 44 per cent of energy saving measure costs of £200 million are recouped within the same time period and savings will continue for up to 40 years. Achieving annual savings of only 14.7?ktC by 2010, such a figure represents a mere 0.3 per cent of the annual domestic 4.8?MtC savings announced by the government in its 2006 Climate Change Programme. Practical implications – Since the principal determinant in the uptake of ESMs is initial cost, it is considered that the EPBD is likely to remain an under-performing instrument in the promotion of energy sufficiency until such time as other complementary provisions are introduced. Originality/value – Sheds light upon the likely financial impact upon energy efficiency in domestic buildings by energy certificates

Thermal probe technology for buildings: the transition from laboratory to field measurements

This article reports the results of an investigation into the transfer of thermal probe measurement technology from laboratory use to actual buildings in order to undertake the in situ determination of thermal material properties. The imperative for using in situ measurements is 1) the impact of moisture content on thermal properties, 2) the possible wide range of variation of properties across most materials used in construction, and 3) the lack of data for new and innovative materials. Thermal probe technology offers the prospect of taking building specific data, addressing these issues. Based on commercially available thermal probes a portable measurement kit and accompanying measurement procedure have been developed. Three case study buildings, each having different materials, have been studied to ascertain whether or not the technique can be transferred to relatively uncontrolled environments while remaining capable of achieving a precision that is similar to an ASTM standard that can be related to thermal conductivity measurements of building materials. The results show that this is indeed the case, and that the use of thermal probe technology may yield thermal properties that vary significantly from the laboratory values currently used in building thermal engineering calculations

Thermal properties of cob retrofitted with external hemp–lime

Insulating earth walls with an external layer of hemp–lime improves thermal performance in a sustainable way and could promote the wider use of earth in construction. Monolithic earth walls, known in Devon as cob, are widely used in many countries with temperate climates. Earth walls are a form of sustainable construction, but their thermal performance is poor when measured against current UK Building Regulations. Non-permeable, high-performance insulation materials may cause moisture-related problems in earth walling. Therefore, this paper describes the transient thermal properties of monolithic cob walls retrofitted with external hemp–lime insulation, which offers a permeable solution. The transient thermal properties of the walls are calculated using bespoke software developed for an earlier study of brick walls and the air-to-air thermal transmittance is determined for various thicknesses of hemp–lime insulation. Typical cob walls found in Devon have U-values >1 W/m2 K, or about three times the 0·3 W/m2 K UK Building Regulations target. For a 600 mm thick cob wall with 250 mm of external hemp–lime, a U-value of 0·3 W/m2 K is achieved. Five areas of concern are discussed briefly: caution, sustainability, acceptability, uncertainty in data and the possible energy and carbon dioxide savings