b"INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY(A) (C)integrated with UAV technology and supported by user-friendly tools, offers a transformative approach to energy audits of building envelopes. This research at the University of Victoria demon-strates that IRT can provide accurate, non-invasive and rapid assessments of building envelope performance, making it an invaluable tool in the fight against climate change. The authors would like to express their gratitude to (B) Morrison Hershfield Now Stantec, BC Housing, NSERC, CFI and MITACS for their direct or indi-rect support of this research project. Special thanks are extended to Mr. Voytek Gretka and Mr. Ivan FIGURE 5AN EXAMPLE OF WEB-BASED TOOL ANALYSISLee for their invaluable expertise and outstanding THAT ALLOWS USERS TO ANALYZE IRT DATA AND ASSESS THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING ENVELOPES;commitment to both research and practice. Their (A) SELECTION OF REGIONS OF INTEREST; (B) USERgenerous support and willingness to address INPUTS; (C) ANALYSIS OF THERMAL IMAGE. practical, real-world questions greatly enriched this This enhancement makes UAV-basedThis online web-based tool is designed toproject. The authors are deeply appreciative of their IRT a more reliable and practical tool forempower communities and individualsmentorship and the encouragement they provided to large-scale energy audits, enabling theto take proactive steps in retrofitting theirthe research team.rapid collection of high-quality thermalbuildings. The tool is compatible with data across multiple buildings. FLIR cameras, a leading manufacturer of infrared cameras widely used by industryReferencesDEVELOPMENT OF A USER- professionals. Additionally, its compat-Mahmoodzadeh, M., Gretka, V., & FRIENDLY WEB-BASED TOOL ibility with infrared cameras integratedMukhopadhyaya, P., Challenges and into smartphones further lowers theOpportunities in Quantitative Aerial Recognizing the importance of acces- barrier to entry, enabling even small- Thermography of Building Envelopes. Journal sibility and ease of use, a web-based toolscale property owners to conduct theirof Building Engineering, (2023), 106214.has been developed that allows users toown energy assessments and contributeM. Mahmoodzadeh, V. Gretka, I. Lee, P.analyze IRT data and assess the thermalto reducing global carbon emissions. InMukhopadhyaya, Utilizing External Infrared performance of building envelopesaddition, the tool's results are compa- Thermography to Assess Thermal Performance (Figure 5). This tool is designed to beof Wood-Framed Building Envelopes in Canada, user-friendly, making it accessible to arable to FLIR's ResearchIR software,Journal of Energy and Buildings, (2021), 111807.wide range of users, from energy advisorsdemonstrating its reliability in measuring surface temperatures and accurately esti- M. Mahmoodzadeh, V. Gretka, K. Hay, C. and property managers to homeownersSteele, P. Mukhopadhyaya, Determining overall and students. The web tool guides usersmating U-values and the Infrared Index. heat transfer coefficient (U-Value) of wood-framed wall assemblies in Canada using external through the process of selecting regionsCONCLUSION: infrared thermography, Journal of Building of interest, inputting material proper- PAVING THE WAY FORand Environment. 199 (2021), 107897. ties and generating detailed reports thatSUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS M. Mahmoodzadeh, V. Gretka, S. Wong, T.include surface temperature (average,Froese, P. Mukhopadhyaya, Evaluating Patterns max and min), U-values and The innovative use of quantitativeof Building Envelope Air Leakage with Infrared IRI rankings. infrared thermography, particularly whenThermography, Energies. (2020) 13 (14), 3545.STRATEGIES FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENTCOMPLEX QUESTIONS ANSWERED.Optimize the quality, value, and performance of your projects and facilities with Rimkus.rimkus.comConsultants. Experts. Innovators. 604-295-807016 BCBEC ELEMENTSA BCBEC PUBLICATION(C)"