{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T06:33:02Z","timestamp":1763706782326,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]],"date-time":"2024-03-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1709856000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Eng"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recognizes nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) and building renovation as essential steps in the decarbonization of the built environment. A thorough understanding of existing buildings is a prerequisite for improving their thermal performance and ensuring that interventions are based on pre-existing conditions. This study investigates the use of thermography as a tool for identifying construction solutions and assessing the thermal performance of buildings. Initially, it addresses the benefits and limitations of this technique, as well as some results of a qualitative analysis and standard application of this technology. Specific conditions for capturing images on-site were identified, along with the relevant factors for interpreting thermograms under natural conditions. These images enabled the identification of previous works, changes in buildings, and the use of different materials and construction techniques, thereby contributing to the characterization of buildings. Consequently, they can be used in the diagnostic phase to enhance the accuracy of intervention solutions based on a better understanding of existing conditions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/eng5010026","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]],"date-time":"2024-03-08T05:44:06Z","timestamp":1709876646000},"page":"477-494","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["A Qualitative Analysis Using Thermography for Characterization of the Built Environment"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"5","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7722-2806","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Teresa Vaz","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Civil Engineering Department, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6000-084 Castelo Branco, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4626-7443","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University   College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6140-3052","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael M.","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Materials and Building Technologies (C\u2013MADE\/UBI), Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Beira Interior (UBI), 6201-001 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"The European Parliament and Thecouncil of the European Union (2002). 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