SEO used as model for energy case study

New energy technology was tested in the Science and Engineering Offices.

A campus building is being used in a U.S. Department of Energy case study on technology that could create better building models to study energy consumption.

New laser, video and thermal imaging backpack technology being developed as part of a U.S. Department of Energy project was recently tested in the Science and Engineering Offices.

The backpack can automatically create a 3-D model of the building and export the data to energy analysis software.

In the past, workers manually had to take data on energy use in buildings, said Vy Milunas, director of project management in UIC Physical Plant Administration. Physical dimensions used tape measures, photo cameras and a lot of legwork.

“It’s the next generation in energy analysis,” Milunas said. “In the past, we’ve been manually doing this work with calculators and spreadsheets. Current energy analysis software allows for quick computer analysis. However, the data collection and entry is still manual for existing buildings.

“Typically, it would have been a week for several engineers to do what the backpack accomplished in one day.”

The project is being conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with Baumann Consulting and Indoor Reality. UIC was selected as a Midwest test site, with other walkthroughs being conducted in Washington, D.C., and California.

The researchers will prepare energy models from the walkthrough and share the data with campus administrators.