Kestrix – The ‘Google Maps of heat loss’, using thermal drones to map and quantify heat loss at scale and generate energy retrofit plans.
Kestrix fly thermal drones over whole neighbourhoods at a time and map and quantify heat loss in 3D.
Kestrix use AI to generate energy retrofit plans, – like the energy survey from the sky. This helps Kestrix’s users (social housing providers and utilities) – who are already retrofitting – plan, price, and verify energy retrofit projects across thousands of homes more quickly, and with fewer expensive on-site energy surveys. Underpinning Kestrix’s approach are core algorithms that interpret thermal images taken from the sky quantitatively – Rapid Thermal Performance Assessment algorithms (RaThPAs).
The technology, developed with the support of InnovateUK and DESNZ, quantitatively estimates thermal performance (heat loss) of buildings when applied to images captured of homes at scale with drones, estimating key metrics like component level and component U-value and overall space heating demand intensity (kWh/m2/yr.). This enables rapid prioritisation, planning, pricing and verification of retrofits, as well as faster, less-invasive heat pump feasibility assessments.
This solution poses many benefits to social housing providers on the path to net zero. With Kestrix (and RaThPAs), housing providers can quickly ‘sense-check’ EPCs and prioritise homes for retrofit, which helps e.g. in the process of pre-qualifying homes for an SHDF bid. Furthermore Kestrix can be used by delivery partners like contractors to demonstrate progress on key net zero metrics at scale – showing a housing provider for instance the marginal decrease in kWh/m2/yr. as a result of an implemented retrofit scheme.
Benefits
- Minimise on-site surveys and resident disruption in the retrofit planning process – align retrofit with planned repairs and maintenance.
- Bookkend retrofit programmes, verifying thermal performance before/after retrofit works are carried out, both qualitatively (visually) and quantitatively (difference in overall space heating demand intensity)
- Improves budgetary/financial modelling relating to retrofit – mitigate project risks (by identifying e.g. vines, illegal sheds, etc.)
- Improve budgetary/financial modelling relating to retrofit accessing lower cost of capital through verification of progress towards net zero.
- Verify quantitative retrofit outcomes.
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