1

Built environment specialists

Thermal Imaging for

BREEAM

Colin Pearson

BREEAM AP

BSRIA Head of Building Performance

Level 3 Thermographer

Chairman of UK Thermography Association

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Built environment specialists

BREEAM Requirement

Construction and handover

One credit

14. The main contractor accounts for a thermographic survey within the project budget and

programme of works.

15. Once construction is complete a thermographic survey of the building fabric is undertaken in

accordance with the appropriate standard and by a professional holding a valid Level 2 certificate

in thermography (as defined by the UKTA website http://www.ukta.org)

16. The survey confirms:

a. Continuity of insulation in accordance with the construction drawings

b. Avoidance of excessive thermal bridging

c. Avoidance of air leakage paths through the fabric (except through intentional openings)

17. Any defects identified via the post construction inspections are rectified

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Built environment specialists

Thermographic survey of building fabric

Survey type

– Standards

– Conditions

– Inside

– Outside

– Qualitative

– Quantitative

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Built environment specialists

Appropriate Standards

BS EN 13187:1999

– Thermal performance of buildings. Qualitative

detection of thermal irregularities in building

envelopes. Infrared method

– Same as ISO 6781

– Currently being updated in 7 parts – Part 1: General Procedures

– Part 2: Equipment Requirements

– Part 3: Qualifications of Equipment Operators, Data Analysts and Report Writers

– Part 4: Categorization of Application

– Part 5: Conducting Thermographic Inspections and Reporting of Results - Residential

– Part 6: Conducting Thermographic Inspections and Reporting of Results – Commercial

– Part 7: Conducting Thermographic Inspections and Reporting of Results – Institutional

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Built environment specialists

Conditions for surveys

Temperature difference >10K

Heating or cooling in operation

Temperature not changing

Wind speed <5m/s

No solar radiation

No rain mist of fog

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Built environment specialists

Level 2 certificate

ISO 18436 Part 7 (2008)

– Requirements for qualification and assessment of

personnel -- Part 7: Thermography

Sets out syllabus, training hours, experience

for training and certification of

thermographers

– Level 1: qualified to work under supervision

– Level 2: qualified to conduct and report on surveys

– Level 3: qualified to develop procedures and train

Other Level 2 qualifications are available

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Built environment specialists

Continuity of insulation

Is the intended

insulation present?

Is it well fitted?

How big are the

gaps?

Is this acceptable?

Should limits be

set?

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Built environment specialists

Thermal Bridging

Is the insulation continuous as required by

Building Regulations and are there bridges?

Requires judgement

Can use Thermal

Index, TI

Acceptable limits can

be set

Possible future

regulations

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Built environment specialists

Typical wall

U Value 0.35 – TI 0.95 19.1

18.4

15.8

3.9

2.8

0.2

0.00 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Distance, mm

Te

mp

era

ture

, °C

Block Brick

Insu

latio

n

Ca

vity

Air

Air

Pla

ste

r

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Built environment specialists

16.3

14.5

- 11.2

6.4

1.5

+ 0.00 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Distance, mm

Te

mp

era

ture

, °C

Block

Brick

Mis

sin

g In

su

latio

n

Air

Air

Pla

ste

r

Mortar joint, missing insulation U value 1.41, TI 0.82

Mortar

Dewpoint of

20°C air at

80% rh

= 16.5°C

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Built environment specialists

Air leakage

Wind driven

Buoyancy driven

Pressurisation test

Into building

Into structure

Useful diagnostic

tool for airtightness

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Built environment specialists

Faults rectified

Requires thermal

imaging before…

and after rectification…

And re-evaluation of the

complete building

14.4°C

21.4°C

16

18

20AR01

14.5°C

22.0°C

16

18

20

22

AR01

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Built environment specialists

Find a thermographer

Go to UKTA

website

Click on map

Find thermographer

by location

Check their

qualifications and

quality of their work

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Built environment specialists

Summary

Thermal imaging is a

useful QA tool

Confirm construction is in

accordance with design

Reduced carbon

emissions, greater user

satisfaction and longer

building life