I-Corps: Measuring thermal efficiency in buildings using a thermal energy imaging platform with AI and thermodynamic analysis

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of automation technology for energy assessment related to thermal efficiency. Aging infrastructure and insufficient weatherization measures have increased power and natural gas consumption levels and emissions. The best means of reigning in consumption rates are improved energy efficiency and weatherization enabled through proper quantified energy assessments. The proposed technology enables faster, safer, and more accurate thermal assessments for residential and commercial buildings, providing a data-rich source for identification of points of largest energy consumption and measures to improve thermal efficiency of structures. The primary market this technology is public and private educational institutions like higher-education universities and K-12 institutions. Facility and Plant Managers may be able to use the technology to rapidly identify measures to reduce utility charges and increase the lifespan of structures. The quantification of energy consumption also may enable these mangers to access further state or federal funding for structural improvements. In addition, the proposed technology may be useful for weatherization experts and structural engineers working on construction projects and aiding utility providers for energy infrastructure inspection. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a technology to quickly convert thermal images captured from a UAS mounted radiometric infrared sensor to energy utilization estimations using artificial intelligence, data analytics, and thermodynamics. The thermal images captured by the infrared sensors are corrected for atmospheric attenuation and processed by the artificial intelligence to identify individual components of a building’s façade and any thermal anomalies. Thermodynamic procedures are utilized to calculate the heat conductance or the U-value of each element and calculate the financial impact of heat loss from the building depending on the dimensions of the elements being considered along with the type of utility used for space heating/cooling. This technology solution is slated to automate thermal assessment processes for buildings and reduce the overall processing time by 90% and on-site inspection time by 60% compared to traditional assessment techniques. The initial research for the technology was performed over a three-year period where thermal images of various structures throughout North Dakota were analyzed and cross-referenced for their thermal profiles. The technology has since been improved by adding financial impact calculations and corresponding modeling tools along with a more structured data workflow process.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.