Thermal imaging surveys

[edit] About thermal imaging surveys

Thermal imaging surveys allow us to ‘see’ heat generated by objects in the surrounding environment.

This is not limited to objects that feel hot to the touch. In fact, all objects always radiate infrared ‘heat’ radiation. Thermal Imaging is the science of taking information from the radiated heat and converting it into an image. This can then be used to analyse the properties of the objects we are looking at.

Thermal imaging building surveys save time and money. They also improve safety across the sector.

Thermographic inspection features in environmental assessment tools such as BREEAM – a set of requirements designed to reduce the environmental impact of construction – as a method to determine energy loss through the building fabric.

A building should keep the expensive, heated air within its interior. It should be reasonably airtight and well-insulated to minimise energy loss. When things go wrong, energy escapes through anomalies like gaps, cracks, and thermal bridges. Thermal imaging is the quickest and most cost-effective way to highlight the anomalous areas.

Thermal imaging surveys are crucial for anyone responsible for heavy plant or building infrastructure. Electricians can detect hot-spots and potential failure points in the domestic installation of lighting circuits, and Facilities Managers in large office blocks can perform maintenance on a pump set supplying chilled water for a thousand workers. These are just two examples showing how thermal imaging can be a powerful diagnostic tool.

[edit] A pocket guide to thermal imaging of buildings

This pocket-sized guide (Thermal Imaging of Buildings - a pocket guide (BG 72/2017) aims to help you get the best from thermal images. It explains what thermal images can and can’t show, what you can do with them and how infrared cameras work. It refers mainly to the use of handheld cameras although cameras on airborne drones are also mentioned.

Thermal imaging is increasingly used in the construction industry to show faults in thermal insulation, electrical installationsand mechanical plant. It can also be used to test for areas of unusual heat loss or gain and cold areas of internal surface that might lead to discomfort, condensation and mould growth. This makes it a useful tool for checking quality in new and existing buildings. In recent years, the price of entry level thermal imaging cameras has dropped and the simplest cameras are now much easier to use, so they are accessible to almost anyone involved in checking the performance of buildings. But it is easy to make mistakes in the interpretation of thermal images, whether they appear on the screen of an infrared camera or in a report produced by a professional thermographer.

This pocket-sized guide aims to help you get the best from thermal images. It explains what thermal images can and can’t show, what you can do with them and how infrared cameras work. It refers mainly to the use of handheld cameras although cameras on airborne drones are also mentioned. Finally, it highlights some trends that will affect the future of buildingthermography.

Sections in the guide include: Heat loss through building fabric Infrared cameras and thermography Getting a good image Building fabric thermography Procedures for conducting surveys Desktop software Developments in building thermography Qualifications and experience

Product details: Published: December 2017. Publisher: BSRIA.Author: Colin Pearson IBSN: 978-0-86022-760-1.

[edit] Thermal Imaging Services

BSRIA’s authoritativeness and independence in conducting thermal imaging surveys is well-respected. With broad experience in built environment thermographic inspection, we work constantly to develop new methods to use thermography in novel ways. We combine the latest high-definition cameras and thermal imaging technologies with knowledge and experience gained through many years within the built environment industry. As a result, we provide an unrivalled service that is both trusted and respected by the industry.

BSRIA thermographers are qualified in accordance with ISO 18436:7 and undertake thermographic surveys in accordance with BS EN 13187 and ISO 6781 as recommended by the UK Thermography Authority (UKTA).

This article appears on the BSRIA news and blogsite as 'Thermal Imaging Surveys: An introduction' and as 'Thermal Imaging of Buildings - a pocket guide (BG 72/2017)' as they appeared in January 2025.

--BSRIA

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Air permeability testing.
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• BREEAM Testing and inspecting building fabric.
• Cold bridge.
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• Energy audit.
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• The history of non-domestic air tightness testing.
• Thermal imaging of the building fabric in the net zero world.
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