Evaluating the value of investment in building insulation retrofits based on EPAR-(energy performance augmented reality) models
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Accurate quantification of energy cost savings associated with retrofitting poor building envelopes can minimize the financial risk of insulation retrofit investments. However, reliable estimation of the expected monetary savings through improving thermal efficiency is not a trivial task. To overcome this, we present a new infrared thermography-based method together with cost estimation process that evaluates the cost-benefit of insulation retrofit alternatives. Our method relies on collections of thermal and digital images acquired during building diagnostics. These images are used to develop energy performance augmented reality (EPAR) models that jointly represent actual and expected building thermal performance in 3D. By exploring the performance gaps in the EPAR models, potential thermal defects are detected automatically. Then, based on a point-based measurement of the actual R-values of the detected areas along with the degree-days statistics, the amount of energy loss and the expected energy saving cost by retrofitting the detected problems are estimated. Finally, we compare the expected energy saving cost with the cost of retrofitting the detected problems. Our results from several experiments conducted on two existing buildings hold the promise for a reliable diagnostic method that can help minimize the risk of retrofit investments for homeowners. 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
