Rising energy prices and environmental urgency have inspired charities, councils, and companies across the UK to look for innovative methods of maximising the efficiency of British homes. One such method is thermal imaging. In 2022, we brought you multiple reports of organisations, including the charity Cambridge Carbon Footprint; South Somerset District Council; and Octopus Energy, providing thermal cameras to property owners for the purpose of identifying heat loss. Armed with this information, householders could target their insulation efforts effectively. Subsequently reducing their energy consumption, bills, and emissions. 2023 has seen even more councils and organisations adopt similar policies. Below are just a few instances that made headlines.
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- Building Society Challenges Energy Efficiency Perspectives
- Cornwall Community Tackles Cost of Living Crisis with Thermal Camera
- Nailsea Council Combats Climate Change Using Thermal Camera
- Leeds Leads the Way in Retrofitting with Thermal Flight
- London Council Lends Thermal Cameras to Locals to Lower Energy Bills
- Climate Action Group Offers Free Thermal Checks to Community
- Further Information
Building Society Challenges Energy Efficiency Perspectives
January 2023 brought the news that Skipton Building Society had partnered with Vibrant, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provider, to help their 1.1 million customers understand the true energy performance of their homes. This would enable its members to make appropriate adjustments that would lower their energy consumption and costs. Skipton Building Society’s chief executive, Stuart Haire, said of the initiative:
“We know that the rising cost of living and energy bills are at the forefront of many homeowners' minds right now – but knowing accurately how energy efficient your home is can play a big part in helping you to reduce your energy bills. Our research has revealed a real knowledge gap across homeowners when it comes to understanding the true energy efficiency of their own homes, with many assuming their properties are more energy efficient than they really are.
By not understanding the actual energy performance of their homes, it could be costing them hundreds of pounds in wasted energy – when even small changes could make the biggest difference to reducing their bills and improving their homes.”
- Stuart Haire, Skipton Building Society
In addition to partnering with a thermographer, helping customers to see heat lost, Skipton Group commissioned research into the public’s understanding of EPC ratings. Polling 2000 adult homeowners, the survey found that 72% thought their property was energy efficient. This conflicts with data that shows 59% of British homes have a poor EPC rating. Despite two-thirds of those polled not knowing their home’s EPC rating, when asked to estimate what it might be, 84% of those asked assumed their property had a C rating or above. (EPC scale runs from A, at the top, to G, at the bottom.)[1]
Coventry Live Has The Complete Story
Cornwall Community Tackles Cost of Living Crisis with Thermal Camera
Inspired by the actions of a Wiltshire village, Gunnislake Community Matters Group have purchased a thermal camera. It is being lent for free to Calstock Parish residents for the purpose of identifying areas where their homes’ energy efficiency might be improved. Chairman of the community group, Ross Hanley, explains:
“The idea behind the purchase of the camera is for the residents to use it in their homes to look for cold spots, and having found them, research if there is anything that can be done to reduce those spots, by, for example, increasing insulation or stopping draughts.”
- Ross Hanley, Chairman of Gunnislake Community Matters Group
Funds to buy the thermal camera were provided by local councillor Dorothy Kirk, and were taken from the Cornwall Council Community Grant Chest.[2]
Digital Camera World Has The Details
Nailsea Council Combats Climate Change Using Thermal Camera
In 2019 Nailsea Town Council declared a climate emergency and began taking measures to minimise the Somerset town’s carbon footprint. These included planting more trees, using recycled paper, checking the ‘green credentials’ of firms, and introducing a budget of £50,000 to fund town projects tackling climate change. In early 2023, Somerset Live reported that the council had invested in a thermal camera intended to help residents assess and address their homes’ energy efficiency.
Equipped with the thermal camera, trained volunteers at the Nailsea Climate Emergency Group will provide free energy efficiency assessments. Volunteers will point out problem areas and offer advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of homes. As a result, locals should be able to reduce their energy consumption, energy bills, and carbon emissions.
Jo Duffy, Nailsea Town Council’s Clerk, said of the program:
“The camera will help people check the energy efficiency of their homes and the volunteers will be able to advise them on changes they can make to improve their properties.
This is especially relevant when energy bills are so high and we are facing a climate emergency. It could be that quite simple changes could be made, such as installing loft insulation or fitting door curtains.”[3]
- Jo Duffy, Nailsea Town Council Clerk
Leeds Leads the Way in Retrofitting with Thermal Flight
Working with MCS Charitable Foundation, Leeds City Council is pioneering a new thermal satellite technology aimed at decarbonising housing. Satellite Vu, a constellation of miniature satellites fitted with high-resolution thermal imaging cameras, embarked on its maiden voyage in May 2023. The test flight revealed that Satellite Vu thermal images make it possible to map the heat signatures of buildings several times a day. This data allows Leeds City Council to ascertain the heat loss and ERP of individual buildings. As a result, the council can target retrofitting funding and/or policies to priority areas.
Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, explains that:
“This is an innovative project that could transform our understanding of building heat loss at the city-level, potentially unlocking additional investment in energy efficiency measures that cut energy bills and help us tackle climate change.”
- Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council
Dr Richard Hauxwell-Baldwin, research and campaigns manager at MCS, echoed her comments:
“With 29 million homes in the UK urgently needing upgrades to be fit for the future, we need detailed data on building conditions on a massive scale. This proof of concept could provide that data for the first time and will be game changing for investment in whole-street and whole-area retrofitting programmes.”[4]
- Dr Richard Hauxwell-Baldwin, MCS Research & Campaigns Manager
Uncover The Complete Story on UK Authority
London Council Lends Thermal Cameras to Locals to Lower Energy Bills
To reduce residents’ energy bills and the area’s carbon emissions, Kensington and Chelsea Council is lending thermal cameras to locals. It is hoped that by using thermal imagers to identify cold spots, homeowners will insulate sources of heat loss thereby decreasing their energy consumption, bills, and emissions. Draft excluders, smart thermostats, and radio reflectors are available from the town hall. Furthermore, the Kensington and Chelsea council has allocated £400m to upgrading council homes throughout the borough.
Speaking about the thermal camera scheme, Deputy Leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Council, Kim Taylor Smith, said:
“[…] The scheme will help people identify fast fixes in their homes while we roll out our programme of major works across the estate.
This will help us be a carbon net zero council by 2030 while also helping residents keep their energy bills lower once work has been carried out in their home.”[5]
- Kim Taylor Smith, Deputy Leader of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Climate Action Group Offers Free Thermal Checks to Community
November 2023 brought news of another non-government organisation using thermal imaging to improve the heat retention of homes. At their ‘Warm Homes For All' event, Market Drayton Climate Action launched a free thermal imaging service. Available to Shropshire residents, the service will allow householders to identify heat leaks in their homes, making it easier to target their insulation efforts. It is hoped that by addressing sources of energy inefficiency, homeowners will use less energy thereby reducing both their bills and emissions.[6]
Shropshire Star Has Further Details
Further Information
For more examples or information about using thermal cameras to identify sources of heat loss and maximising energy efficiency, please consult our blog series on this subject.
Blog Series: Thermal Cameras Maximise Energy Efficiency
Alternatively, our Sales team are more than happy to answer any queries and provide advice on our extensive array of energy auditing and building inspection thermal cameras. Please don’t hesitate to contact them on 01642 931 329 or via our online form.
In the meantime, you can browse our vast range of energy auditing and building inspection thermal cameras below.
Energy Auditing & Building Inspection Thermal Cameras
[1] Sarah Lumley, ‘Three in five UK households have a poor energy performance rating, data shows’, Coventry Live, last accessed 28 November 2023.
[2] Hannah Rooke, ‘Village uses thermal imaging camera to tackle heat loss and save money’, Digital Camera World, last accessed 28 November 2023.
[3] Heather Pickstock, ‘Council buys thermal imaging camera to check energy efficiency of homes’, Somerset Live, last accessed 28 November 23.
[4] Mark Say, ‘Leeds City Council tests new thermal imagery to support work on decarbonising housing’, UK Authority, last accessed 28 November 2023.
[5] Rachel Burford, ‘London Council lends out thermal cameras to help homes cut fuel costs’, Evening Standard via Yahoo! News, last accessed 28 November 2023.
[6] Megan Howe, ‘Climate group offering free thermal imaging service for local residents’, Shropshire Star, last accessed 28 November 2023.
