How to run your own heatseekers quest
If we’re going to tackle climate change, we’ve got to transform our heat system.
So how do you make this thorny challenge something that people connect with? Enter, thermal imaging camera.
Exploring your local area through the lens of a thermal imaging camera is a great way to start thinking (and talking) about energy differently. It makes insulation and energy efficiency something that is beautiful and, dare I say it, fun. Could you organise a quest in your community, school or workplace?
By comparing different buildings, lights, outfits even, heatseekers can see where energy is produced - and where it escapes. You’ll (literally) see just what a difference simple measures can make to carbon emissions, meaning it’s a great way to get people to act.
“The thermal imaging cameras were a real eye opener. I’d never seen London through this lens before and it really made me realise how much heat is being wasted (and therefore how much heat could either be saved or captured).
After using the thermal cameras, I started to see everything in terms of heat sources for quite a few hours! And it was thought-provoking to see the hidden flows of energy that move through the city, and how we could (re)-capture them and reconfigure the city.
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Up for organising a heatseekers quest in your area?
To help you get started we’ve got a few tips to ensure your quest is the hottest it can be.
1. Get your hands on a free thermal camera or two.
Thermal cameras are key to a killer quest. They’re quite pricey to buy, but you can often borrow them for free. We recommend trying the engineering department of your local university, or reaching out to maintenance staff of large buildings in your local area. You can also try renting one. If you have trouble getting hold of a thermal imaging camera for your event, get in touch with our campaigner Neil. He knows heat-enthusiasts across the country and is sure to help you out.
2. Pick your location
The more varied the setting, the more your heatseekers will have to work with. Ideally, you’d plan a route that will bring the group outdoors and inside and get people thinking about a mix of building types, from old houses to new leisure centres. But work with what you’ve got. Quests that are exclusively indoors or exclusively outdoors work well too.
3. Time it well
It’s best to hold your event in the evening when its darker and the weather’s a bit colder (it shows up better on the camera that way!). Don’t worry if running it straight from a school or workplace means you need to get started sooner. You can spend the first hour getting used the cameras indoors so it’s nice and dark by the time you get outside.
4. Plan in time for getting warmed up.
Allow some time at the start the quest for people to get familiar with the tech. Encourage everyone to have a play - take thermal selfies, compare who’s feet leave the hottest footprints.
5. Set a challenge and ask some questions.
It can be a good idea to set a challenge to help get your heatseekers thinking creatively. A bit of competition (with or without the promise of prizes) can up the energy. Here are some challenges we’ve tried in the past - but we’d love to hear what you come up with.
What's the hottest thing you can find?
What’s the most surprising thing you can find?
Whose phone charger is the most wasteful? (look for electrical equipment giving off heat)
Find the hidden hot water bottles
6. Bring it back.
It’s good to find a space where you can bring people together to talk about what they’ve found. This could be a pub, a community centre or the school or workplace you all set off from. Booking speakers can be a good move if you know anyone working on heating tech or issues like fuel poverty. The key thing is to create a relaxed and engaging atmosphere where people can chat over what they found on their quest, and what issues it’s brought up.
