BUILDINGS USE ENERGY FOR HEATING & COOLING
The amount of energy a building uses is dependent on the function of the building envelope. Geo thermal and other alternative energies are being employed for less energy consumption when the problem lies with the building function. These alternative energy sources can give the illusion of savings because they are cheaper energy, it doesn't mean they have addressed the problem with the building. This page will bring the invisible to light and allow you to see that responsible energy use requires the heating system working in conjunction with building envelope function.
Buildings all over the world use energy differently because of their climate. Some parts of the world only use air conditioning for cooling where other countries require heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Heating or cooling a building require burning fossil fuels and generating emissions. Some of those resources are non-renewable and require due diligence in using them responsibly.
HEAT WAVES, HEAT GAIN & AIR CONDITIONING
USING FOSSIL FUELS TO HEAT BUILDINGS
Building design temperatures determine the insulation value, HVAC size, energy consumption, GHG emissions, fossil fuel use, Kyoto compliant, dew point, mold, fire integrity and overall compliance with building codes. The amount of heat loss from the building is calculated with amazing accuracy.
The reality is that buildings are designed in a calculator, signed off as compliant and insured because function couldn't be verified. Although laws are in place, the entire national to municipal building process is signed off as compliant and insured. The United Nations and every member in it is blind to building function as well as their energy consumption.
This page is going to take you out of the calculator and let you see how energy is used to heat buildings. In order to provide an accurate visual of how energy is used, we employed the most advanced thermography applications in conjunction with building design professionals, construction trades and energy provision backgrounds. Imaging buildings requires more than a piece of equipment, you need the application plus the required background in building science or the results will be limited.
HEAT LOSS & THERMAL BRIDGING
The picture shows the finished construction product. The appraiser for the banks, realtors, architects, builders, building inspector, insurer and even the United Nations is expecting this building to be compliant, energy efficient, etc so there are less emissions.
Codes call for the insulation to be uniform, put your mouse over the image to see if the walls look fairly uniform.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
You can see in the image there are areas all over the ceiling and walls where there is weak or missing insulation values. This is what contributes to mold, condensation in a building and the heating system will work overtime meaning more emissions, wasted fossil fuels, increased oil dependency, toxic babies, etc.
MISSING CEILING INSULATION
The insulating properties of the building are very important for overall function of the building. We have inspected new buildings that had geothermal heating with mold because of poor insulation values or installation. Insulation and the installation are the most important part of building function yet requires little experience if any.
The picture shows where the wall and ceiling meet. The home owner had an insulating company come in to blow insulation into the attic space to make the home more energy efficient and comfortable. They didn't succeed and at the owner's expense.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The dark areas are where the insulation is missing in the ceiling and it means more energy use, wasted electrical, GHG emissions, wasted fossil fuels, toxic newborns, mold and this is the exact opposite of what is expected at the UN Meeting in Bali. This is the real result of the Canadian effort in reducing GHG emissions. The building is signed off as compliant and not verified.
8 FOOT BASEMENT NOT INSULATED
The next picture is typical of a lot of homes where the basements aren't finished. Parts of the walls are insulated and others are left uninsulated for years. The building in the next picture has been functioning like this for 50 years.
The picture was taken of the outside of the building. You can see the stucco on the top of the exterior wall, the lower part is the basement and you can see snow. Ideally the building should be uniformally insulated, put your mouse over the picture and see what energy looks like beyond our visible spectrum.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The brighter area on the right is the uninsulated part of the wall. For 50 years, this building has been functioning like this even though policy changes have been made to address it. Burning more fossil fuels, wasting electrical, toxin newborns, more GHG emissions, lowers air pressure changing climate.
HEAT LOSS AROUND EXTERIOR DOOR
The next picture is typical door construction. Put your mouse over the picture and see if the door is sealed properly so less energy is consumed. You should expect to see relative uniformity.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
This is a constant heat loss area burning more fossil fuels, wasting electrical generation, more GHG emissions, toxic newborns and affecting the investment while governments call for reduction of GHG emissions.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING HEAT LOSS
The next building is called tilt up construction. The heaters are on the roof and the thermostat is 5 feet off the floor. The dark area is the only part of the building that is insulated because it is the showroom. Heat rises, you can't heat something from the top down.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
This building is not code compliant and as a result is burning more fossil fuels, increases oil dependency, more emissions, wasted electrical generation, contributing to lower air pressure and contributing to toxic newborns. In the summer, there will be more complications with this type of design. Building inspectors passed the building when it should have failed and been sent back to the developer to fix.
This piece of junk is a contradiction of global warming objectives yet this is the type of construction being passed. The Liberal Government through
BILL 44 — 2007
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION TARGETS ACT will only reduce emissions in theory.
DIFFERENT BUILDINGS ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
The next picture references the previous image. A new building has been constructed beside it. Place your mouse over the picture to see the energy use of the buildings.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
There is a big difference in building performance. The buildings were inspected by the same municipal building inspection department. The building on the right isn't what the owner is expecting for their investment and it is toxic to the world.
HOME DEPOT HEAT LOSS
Home Depot expects their own buildings to be energy efficient. The building passed inspection and was signed off as compliant.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The white spots along the top of the wall is where the ceiling trusses are located. They are hot because on the heater location on the roof. It wastes lots of energy trying to heat a building from the top down. The vertical hot lines are the weaker insulated areas in this type of tilt up construction. This is the result of a process without the ability to see building performance. The building should have failed inspection and been sent back to the developer to address.
SCHOOL HEAT LOSS
This is a picture of a public school in the winter. Put your mouse over the picture to see how the school is using energy.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The top of the wall has air leakage that is a cost for the school and the environment. The energy audit completed on the building missed this information in their visual inspection. School programs are cut because of increasing energy costs, this is an energy waste.
SCHOOL HEAT LOSS
The next picture is of the walls in the gymnasium. They are cinder block walls with a framed insulated wall on top of the cinder block wall. Put your mouse over the picture to see the thermal image of the walls energy use.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The block wall is cold and a big heat loss area. The thermostat is 5 feet off the floor and will constantly call for heat with these energy losses. The framed wall is performing better but the heat is wasted up there. Poor design & performance and this wouldn't have been allowed if they could see it.
HEAT LOSS
These are exterior doors in a commercial building.
Put your mouse over the image and the infrared image will appear
The door on the right is using more energy.
Heat loss is one function of a building, link to
HEAT GAIN IMAGES to see one of the other functions.
Canada and the rest of the world is trying to reduce dependency on foreign oil and are blaming industry for their emissions. Carbon taxes and policy is being developed reacting to symptoms when you can see how energy is wasted with building function. Geo thermal is being installed for "saving" can you see it isn't addressing the source of the problem? Let us help you "bring the invisible to light" and ensure cities, states and countries get what they pay for. All the laws are in place, it just isn't being seen in a calculator. Ignoring this issue is affecting the health of everything on the planet including children before they take their first breath. The buildings you see on this page are not the exception, they are the rule and there is no on exempt from the challenges that will arise from this.
