Small Project Report
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Innovative Learning for the Built Environment Thermography Small Project Report By Damian Woodford Manager Renewable Energy & Sustainability Centre for Wales. 1 Key App Software application for Apple Inc devices CMU Cardiff Metropolitan University CPD Continuous Professional Development FD Foundation Degree FE Further Education FTP File Transfer Protocol HE Higher Education IPCC International Panel for Climate Change NSAET The National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies OS Operating System QAA Quality Assurance Agency VLE Virtual Learning Environment 2 Figures Figure 1 Camera ad-hoc mode setup. Figure 2 IPod network connectivity. Figure 3 FLIR Viewer App Figure 4 Snapshot camera option on IPod Figure 5 Simultaneous image transfer Figure 6 File transfer complete. Figure 7 Classroom training Figure 8 FD student onsite analysis Figure 9 IPhone image transfer Figure 10 FD students with camera and IPhone Figure 11 FLIR software used to develop professional reports. 3 Table of Contents Contents Key ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Figures .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Why is the project important? .................................................................................................................... 8 What is thermography? ............................................................................................................................. 9 What was the project approach? ............................................................................................................... 9 Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 10 General Approach ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Implementation ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Outputs and Results .................................................................................................................................... 14 The Hardware & Networking ................................................................................................................... 14 Software and Acquiring Images on Mobile Devices ................................................................................ 15 Training and Surveying ............................................................................................................................ 16 Energy & Thermography Reports ............................................................................................................ 17 Other Outputs .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Outcomes and Impact ................................................................................................................................. 18 Conclusions and Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 19 Appendix 1 Insteng Process Automation Ltd ......................................................................................... 20 Appendix 2 FLIR E40BX Technical Data ............................................................................................... 21 Appendix 3 FLIR Software Tools ........................................................................................................... 23 Appendix 4 List of Android 2.3 Mobile Devices ...................................................................................... 25 Appendix 5 URDD Eisteddfod and other Images .................................................................................. 26 4 Acknowledgements This project was kindly funded by JISC RSC Regional Support Centre Wales through their Technology for Learning, Small Projects Grant Programme 2011/12. Thanks go to the JISC Regional Support team especially Paul Richardson, E-learning Adviser based in Bangor, north Wales. I would also like to thank Aidan Farrelly, Insteng Process Automation Ltd who spent many hours at Llandrillo College demonstrating the capabilities of the FLIR E40bx thermal imaging camera and for liaising with FLIR technical support throughout the project (contact details can be found in Appendix 1). Within Llandrillo College, thanks must go to the following staff who re-scheduled their timetables to accommodate staff training and student activities in support of the project: Simon Carder - HE Co-ordinator and lecturer for Renewable Energy & Sustainability Stephen Dunne – Energy Advice Co-ordinator Alan Hughes – NSAET Master Trainer Paul Jones - Lecturer in the Built Environment David Roberto - HE Co-ordinator and Lecturer in Construction & Civil Engineering Ian Williams – FE Lecturer in Construction Sam Faire – Estates Manager I thank my two children Cai and Cian who hired their IPods to me for a week and luckily this was sufficient for me to become familiar with the wireless network setup and operation of the FLIR Viewer App. My final thanks go to the students, school pupils & public who became involved with the project and helped us appreciate the enjoyment and fun that is possible in the learning of heat loss and heat gain through the application of thermography. 5 Executive Summary The Innovative Learning for the Built Environment - Thermography project gained funding support form JISC RSC on the 9th December, 2011 with a final written report submitted by the 8th June, 2012, and a presentation & ‘marketplace’ event held at the JISC RSC Wales Summer 2012 Conference: Technology Working for Wales’, Cardiff on the 26th June, 2012. The project explored opportunities to create an enjoyable and effective learning experience for vocational FE & HE students studying heat loss and heat gain in the built environment. With the use of their personal mobile devices students were able to wirelessly download live images from a thermal imaging camera: held by a tutor, a careful student or sited on a tripod. Three main student groups were chosen to represent candidates studying at the QAA levels 2,3,4 & 5. These programmes of study were: BTEC First Diploma - Construction Level 2 BTEC Subsidiary Diploma – Construction Level 3 BPEC Warm Water Underfloor Heating Level 3 CMU FdSc Sustainable Design & Construction Level 4 & 5 A suitable thermal imaging camera was identified; the FLIR E40bx. This camera allows both an ad-hoc mode and infrastructure mode of wireless communication between the camera and personal mobile devices. The E40bx model allows the use of a FLIR Viewer App on IPhone, IPod & IPad devices in addition to mobile devices running Android 2.3 or above, Linux based, operating system. The camera also comes with a variety of software tools for students to carry out the analysis of images and create professional reports. The use of real time image transfer from the camera to student devices enthused groups and encouraged discussion and further analysis in situ before image transfer to PCs, for generating reports, in the classroom. 6 Overall the project was deemed a success with students enjoying the process of utilising their mobile devices to capture images. Real time access to images from the camera stimulated discussion on site and in doing so enhanced the learning process. Through the use of thermography the project was able to improve the students understanding of heat loss and heat gain prior to the traditional technical and mathematical route that is currently deployed. As part of the project both formal and informal staff training sessions have taken place in an attempt to raise awareness across the whole of the Built Environment department. An introductory presentation has been created for staff that highlights the basics of thermography and the operation of the FLIR thermal imaging camera. Student activities have been developed with clear guidelines on how to install and use the FLIR Viewer App. It was discovered that Android based devices vary in layout and software setup making clear instructions difficult to develop however students on the whole possessed the knowledge to access ad-hoc and infrastructure mode networks with little or no support from tutors or lecturers. The use of the thermal imaging camera was extended to college open days and local public events, such as the Urdd Eisteddfod, Glynllifon in an attempt to reach a wider audience. Once again these activities gained positive feedback and supported the aims of the project; to make the learning process enjoyable