Aerial mapping company Bluesky has been awarded a number of
contracts by UK Local Authorities to map heat loss from properties
using new thermal imaging technology. The resulting thermal maps
provide Councils and other organisations with intelligence with
which to address fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve
energy efficiency. Thermal imagery has even been used by the Police
to identify properties used as cannabis factories.
The latest night time surveys will extend over nearly 2,000
square kilometres of urban Britain and will be undertaken using
Bluesky's state of the art thermal survey system. Specially
designed for airborne surveying the Bluesky system offers
unparalleled accuracy and precision and is the first of it's kind
in use in the UK.
The areas being surveyed by Bluesky include Leeds, North
Lincolnshire, East Lindsey, Bassetlaw and Breckland. The thermal
maps will be supplied ready for use in the Councils' Geographical
Information Systems (GIS) and web mapping services.
The latest thermal surveys to be undertaken by Bluesky will be
captured using a new 'microbolometer' thermal camera; a system
specifically designed for airborne surveying and ideal for use in
aircraft flying at night. Combined with an advanced navigation and
positioning system and improved sensor control and user interface
Bluesky's new generation thermal mapping system allows measurements
of heat loss from property roofs to be recorded with higher
precision and more consistent results than systems used in the
past.
Kerri Ellis, Sustainability Officer at Bassetlaw District
Council, which has recently commissioned a thermal survey from
Bluesky, commented, "The Bluesky thermal data will help us
accurately identify individual properties at risk of fuel poverty
and enable us to proactively target households for tailored advice
and signposting."
Bluesky has already completed more than 5,100 square kilometres
of thermal surveys over the last few years for organisations
including Birmingham, Hastings, Leicester and Peterborough
Councils. Calderdale and Luton are two of Bluesky's clients that
have decided to publish their thermal maps online giving visitors
to the Councils' websites an instant snapshot of how much heat is
escaping through their roof.