MIT researchers developed a compact thermal-imaging rig that mounts to the roof of cars to detect energy leaks in homes and other buildings as they drive by. In 2011, the engineers launched a company, Essess, to commercialize the technology and have since "mapped more than 4 million homes and buildings in cities across the United States for military, commercial, and research purposes," according to MIT News.
Apparently, their software also can help determine who is most likely to fix leaks if they are made aware of them.
From MIT News:
Based on data from across the United States, for example, a household with three children is about 8 percent more likely to seal up leaks than a household with two children, Essess President and CEO Tom Scaramellino says.
“It’s not just figuring out who the worst culprits are — who’s wasting the most energy — because there are customers that can be wasting energy, but they’ll never fix it,” he says. “There’s the actual energy waste and the psychological component to do something about it. Those are two distinct analyses we layer on top of one another.”
Results for utilities companies indicate, for instance, which zip codes have homes with the most leaky attics and, among those, which owners are most likely to install attic installation. Through this process, called the Thermal Analytics Program, utilities can better target customers for energy-efficiency marketing campaigns and other outreach programs, Scaramellino says.
