Heated Monolithic Dome Shop — This first picture is of a heated Monolithic Dome Shop in Saskatchewan, Canada. The picture was taken at 25 degrees below zero. It is a standard color photograph taken by a standard camera. Note the metal buildings in the background.

Heated Monolithic Dome Shop — This first picture is of a heated Monolithic Dome Shop in Saskatchewan, Canada. The picture was taken at 25 degrees below zero. It is a standard color photograph taken by a standard camera. Note the metal buildings in the background. (Rob Phillips)

Thermographs of Dome in Canada

David B. South & Freda Parker • Published • Monolithic Dome Benefits: Energy

These pictures are of that dome and another building using a $50,000 Thermograph camera. This camera is designed to take pictures showing the amount of heat in the photo.

The -25º temperature shows up as black. The warmer temperatures show up in various colors and the hottest is the red.

In a quick look you can see that the heat loss from the Monolithic Dome is virtually zero except through doors and or other openings. This verifies what we see when the last snow that melts will be on the north topside of a Monolithic Dome.

We advise our clients to ignore heat loss or gain from a Monolithic Dome when sizing HVAC equipment. The activities within, the windows and doors, the lights, all else are far more important for determining how much equipment is needed for the heating and cooling. We have had engineers check the building by actually measuring total energy consumption methods. In all cases the Monolithic Dome shell is shown to have an equivalent “R” value of more than 60.

These Thermographic pictures give us a great visual picture illustrating this phenomena. Between the mass of the concrete and the spectacular values of the urethane insulation for all practical purposes there is no heat loss through the shell of the Monolithic Dome.

More thermograph images can be seen in the article The Monolithic Dome: A Green, Micro-Energy User.

This picture shows the same building through a thermographic camera at the same 25 degrees below zero. Note the Monolithic Dome is black. This is a heated shop. There is no heat loss through the Dome shell. The door (insulated) is leaking heat especially at the cracks between the sections and along the edges.

This picture shows the same building through a thermographic camera at the same 25 degrees below zero. Note the Monolithic Dome is black. This is a heated shop. There is no heat loss through the Dome shell. The door (insulated) is leaking heat especially at the cracks between the sections and along the edges. (Rob Phillips)

Same building, Same situation but further around the building. Note the temperatures on the side bar. The black is about 25 degrees below zero. The colors denote higher temperatures.

Same building, Same situation but further around the building. Note the temperatures on the side bar. The black is about 25 degrees below zero. The colors denote higher temperatures. (Rob Phillips)

The back side of the Monolithic Dome shows virtually no heat loss as there is no color.

The back side of the Monolithic Dome shows virtually no heat loss as there is no color. (Rob Phillips)

Another thermograph take to the West face of the Dome. Note there is a bit of color provided by reflected heat from adjacent building.

Another thermograph take to the West face of the Dome. Note there is a bit of color provided by reflected heat from adjacent building. (Rob Phillips)

Internal image of shop next door to the Monolithic Shop. Note the black areas – this is the 25 degree below temperature showing on the inside of the building. This insulated building shows virtually no insulation along the metal framing.

Internal image of shop next door to the Monolithic Shop. Note the black areas – this is the 25 degree below temperature showing on the inside of the building. This insulated building shows virtually no insulation along the metal framing. (Rob Phillips)

Internal image of a metal gymnasium near by. Here again note the colors of the exterior walls.

Internal image of a metal gymnasium near by. Here again note the colors of the exterior walls. (Rob Phillips)

This thermograph is of a 1980 vintage metal building that is considered well insulated. The picture indicates this is true for a metal building. But even here the heat loss can be seen by the colors.

This thermograph is of a 1980 vintage metal building that is considered well insulated. The picture indicates this is true for a metal building. But even here the heat loss can be seen by the colors. (Rob Phillips)

Another metal shop building adjacent. Note the brighter colors indicate more heat loss (obviously) than that of the the super insulated Monolithic Dome.

Another metal shop building adjacent. Note the brighter colors indicate more heat loss (obviously) than that of the the super insulated Monolithic Dome. (Rob Phillips)