RESEARCH: Thermal Imaging in community hands

On recent Housing for Health projects we have been using thermal imaging to reveal how houses are performing.

The community teams have been very interested in the technology and using it to learn about different house types.

Community members learning about and using the Thermal Imaging camera on their houses

In recent projects, we’ve been using a portable thermal imaging camera to assess the thermal performance of homes at different times of the year. By linking this data with other findings from the Housing for Health survey-fix data, we’re gaining valuable insights into how homes function thermally – Is the house too hot or cold?

This information is helping us rethink the importance of HLP8: Controlling the Temperature of the Living Environment, which is currently ranked 8th out of the 9 Healthy Living Practices.

The thermal images have provided clear, evidence-based data, supporting our push for cooler homes. Simple changes, like switching external cladding from red to white, shown in the images to be more than 20C cooler in full sun.

Our community team quickly recognised the value of this tool. Walking through homes with the camera, they gained a better understanding of how their houses perform and how they can be improved. The camera has also sparked important discussions about the performance of different house designs and the impact of shading.

With climate change posing a real threat, homes must be built to passively withstand extreme conditions without relying on electricity. Thermal Imaging is proving to be a powerful tool in helping us focus on key areas to improve health through improving the living environment.