Wearable Device Maps Energy Efficiency of Buildings
Technology that began as a military reconnaissance project for soldiers navigating the layout of a room will soon be field tested in the construction industry. The Rapid Building Energy Modeler (RAPMOD) is a high tech backpack that’s outfitted with a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanner, an inertial measurement unit and a visible light camera. That’s according to Avideh Zakhor, professor of electrical engineering at University of California, Berkeley. A post on ENR.com explains the sensors generate a photo-realistic 3D model of the building’s interior. An infrared sensor can measure the heat from lighting units, plug loads, window to wall ratio and other factors that affect heating and cooling a building, says Zakohr.
