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EUROSENSE maps roof insulation quality of cities in Belgium and France

As a prominent player in the earth observation sector, EUROSENSE added the realization of a thermographic map of the city of Genk, the region of Antwerp, the municipality of Garches (near Paris) and the city of Brussels, to its portfolio. The project in Antwerp, including 20 surrounding municipalities, is probably the largest project ever executed, allowing inhabitants to check their roof insulation quality


Following the Kyoto-protocol and its successors, more and more cities are working out local initiatives regarding an efficient energy use. Since several studies have indicated the roof as the most important location where heat losses occur in an individual residence, local governments are looking for instruments to promote their subventions for a proper roof insulation. During cold winter nights in March 2009, EUROSENSE executed 5 flights covering a total area of more than 750 km² in the Antwerp (see Figure 1) and Genk region. At the same time, volunteers measured the temperature under their roof(s) and filled in an inquiry with information about their roof(s).
Figure 1 represents an overview of the thermographic map over Antwerp and 20 surrounding municipalities. With a total area of approx. 650km², this is probably one of the largest thermographic maps ever made in the domain of heat losses through roofs
More than 13.000 individual thermal images, each covering 650m x 512m with a resolution of 1m, have been processed creating a homogenous thermographic map of the two areas. Experts at EUROSENSE then used the information collected by volunteers to set-up a list of discriminating indicators which clearly define differences in the interpretation of the thermographic map. These indicators were integrated into a simple-to-use interpretation key (see Figure 2) which leads to three different legends. Next to the interpretation key and legends, a list of remarks and exceptions was created in order to fine-tune the interpretation.Figure 2 represents the easy-to-follow interpretation key which leads the inhabitant to the legend he/she needs to use to interpret the colors of the building on the thermographic map. For the city of Antwerp and surrounding municipalities, an online viewer (http://www.antwerpen.be/zoominopuwdak, in Dutch) has been made. On this application the inhabitants can easily locate their building (see Figure 3), interpret the colors on the thermographic map, get an indication of their roof insulation quality by means of the interpretation key and can click to the website of their city or municipality for more information on subventions given by the local governments.

Figure 3 represents an extract from the thermographic map. Solving the interpretation key with the information on the building indicated with the black polygon, leads to a first of three legends. This building is a good example of a badly insulated building.

With the projects in Antwerp and Genk, as well as the thermographic project in Brussels and Garches (France) earlier this year, EUROSENSE shows their thorough experience in the creation of thermographic maps and the subsequent interpretation to the level of an indication of roof insulation quality.

For more information on these services, we refer to the following contact information:
EUROSENSE Belfotop N.V Belgium
Address: Nerviërslaan 54, B-1780 Wemmel, BELGIUM
Phone: +32 (0)2 460 70 00
Fax: +32 (0)2 460 49 58
Website: http://www.eurosense.com
E-mail: info@eurosense.com