Weather Monitoring Sensors Installed.

Last week, we wrapped up an exciting project milestone with Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL). We successfully installed in-wall weather temperature and moisture monitoring sensors in two of our case study buildings: one in Dorchester, MA, and the other in Roxbury, MA. These sensors will stay in place for the next 12 months, quietly gathering data on the existing conditions. The goal is to collect a year’s worth of baseline data on temperature and moisture behavior inside the walls before we install the GRID system for each retrofit. By understanding these baseline conditions, we’ll have a clear picture of how these buildings currently perform, which is essential for measuring how much of a difference the retrofits will make.

The sensors are now set up to monitor various factors, like temperature fluctuations, moisture content, and even humidity levels within the wall cavities. This might sound like overkill, but it’s incredibly valuable information. By seeing how the walls respond to changes in weather and season, we’ll know a lot more about each building’s strengths and any vulnerabilities, like potential moisture build-up areas that could lead to problems down the line. Without this data, we’d be going in a bit blind; by having it, we can later make a precise, data-driven comparison of the “before and after” once the retrofit is in place.

We did hit a few hiccups along the way, as should be expected with a project like this, but nothing that couldn’t be worked out with some teamwork. In the end, everything went smoothly, and the sensors are now up and running. It feels great to have this phase completed, knowing we’re gathering data that will shape our retrofit approach for each building. A big thanks to the ORNL team for making the trip up here from Tennessee to install the sensors for us!