E&T Mag: Binoculars in space...

Telescope to monitor energy output of buildings

A prototype space telescope, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, seeks to help monitor the energy efficiency of individual buildings.

Winter snowfall can reveal which homes are better insulated than others – but it’s an unreliable seasonal barometer. A radical plan to launch accurate thermal infrared telescopes into space to look back down at Earth could give a more accurate picture of where energy is leaking. This matters at a global level – buildings account for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth. And this information could help hold governments, businesses, and individuals to account for climate goals – and spur them on to clean up their act.

Read the whole piece on the E&T Website.