Image conscious: infrared imaging technology helps property managers discover energy losses.

KEEPING a lid on a building's energy costs is a top priority for nearly every property manager. Heated air escaping during the winter months and cooled air leaking out during the summer months are sure signs utility bills will soar.

Finding the source of energy loss--whether it's poor insulation in the walls and ceilings or shoddy construction around the windows and doors--can be a costly, time-consuming and intrusive endeavor. Finding the source of water leaks in roofs can be even tougher.

Thanks to the increasingly affordable technology of infrared imaging, however, real estate managers can quickly and easily track the causes of energy loss without resorting to tearing open walls or pulling up roofing tiles.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

X-RAY VISION

Infrared imaging is a diagnostic technology allowing users to instantly visualize and measure the thermal energy emitted from an object. Measuring thermal energy helps identify areas where energy is being wasted.

Because the human eye cannot detect thermal energy, infrared cameras are typically used to instantly display an area's thermal performance. While traditional cameras detect, record and display visible light, infrared cameras detect and record heat--or more precisely, the difference in temperature between surfaces--and display that information as a visible image.

Using an infrared camera is like having X-ray vision. Infrared cameras can reveal damaged insulation in ceilings and behind walls, uncover bad wiring and overloaded circuits, and pinpoint the source of roof leaks. They go beyond measuring surface issues, without requiring the demolition of walls or direct inspection of insulation.

Large industrial companies have used infrared imaging for decades. For years, the equipment involved was prohibitively expensive and extremely complex to use. Recent technological advances, however, have made infrared cameras smaller, easier to use and less expensive. These breakthroughs have put this sophisticated technology within the grasp of non-industrial professionals like real estate managers and residential property owners.

The benefits to managers and building owners can be tremendous. If a unit in a residential complex or the common area in an office building is losing a significant amount of heat during the winter months, an infrared camera can detect whether the insulation in the walls is moisture laden or otherwise damaged.