Recently published thermal images of London give us a look at the United Kingdom's capital that we've never seen before – and also underline the challenges faced by the city when it comes to energy efficiency.
Using the best thermal imaging cameras (opens in new tab) doesn't just provide a colorful look at the world (reminiscent of the way the titular alien sees things in the Predator movies), it also enables engineers and researchers to see the amount of heat pollution generated by different industries and fields of endeavor.
Electrical engineer Paul Buckingham was recently tasked by Bloomberg Green to provide a "thermal tour" of London to illustrate just how the city is succeeding and failing to contain excess heat.
“I’ve become an investigator more than anything else,” said Buckingham (opens in new tab), who has been taking thermal images for over a decade to convince individuals and businesses to improve their energy efficiency. “What I’m finding is upsetting everyone in the construction industry.”
His images – which indicate maximum, minimum and average temperatures – are very illuminating. They illustrate that at Euston Station, for example, the train and platform are the same temperature – which is almost double the temperature outdoors, proving that the London Underground system is a significant source of heat pollution.
Conversely, Ashmount Primary School was the most energy efficient structure photographed on Buckingham's tour, which "appears almost perfectly insulated". Another shot shows an electric Tesla car driving past Harrods with a temperature of just 46-53°F / 8-12°C, compared to the petrol vehicles that run as hot as 75° / 24°C.
We highly recommend checkout out the Bloomberg Green article (opens in new tab), not just for the interesting photography but also for a fascinating insight into heat inefficiency in one of the world's favorite cities – not to mention a look at how iconic buildings like Harrods, the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Crystal each handle the issue.
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