VOA标准英语2015--新工具提高建筑物的能源效率

New Tool Maps Buildings' Energy Efficiency 新工具提高建筑物的能源效率

Architects, engineers and building managers will soon be able to quickly collect data about building interiors that once took weeks to measure and process. A backpack-mounted device, developed by a group of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, will require just one pass through the building to create not only a 3D model but gather other valuable information related to the building’s energy efficiency.

Let’s say an older building needs a new, more efficient heating and cooling system. The first thing you need is a precise configuration¹ of all rooms, the size and position of heating and cooling elements, windows and doors, and electrical outlets².

Instead of sending a team of technicians with laser pointers and laptop computers it will soon be possible to hire only one, with a space-age backpack loaded with sophisticated instruments, says engineer Annie Marston with Baumann Consulting, who evaluated the new device.

“The backpack is something you can wear, which has all the sensors³ on the back, which can then walk through a building and detect the geometry, the lights, the plug load, and, once you take it out, you can create a 3D model which can show an IR (infra-red) image of each of the walls and look at the thermal⁴ capacity of the building, and then it can be transferred into an energy model, and the energy model could be run and look at how the energy is dispersed⁵ within the building, and that’s when we start looking at saving measures and things like that,” says Marston.

A barometer⁶ calculates the elevation⁷, while magnetometers serve as 3D compasses capturing information about metallic⁸ structures.

The so-called point cloud map has accuracy of plus or minus 10 centimeters, to which an algorithm can add surfaces to the walls, floors and ceilings, turning it into a feature-rich map.

This can be used for energy simulation, thermo-modeling or architectural design.

Marston says the device may be very useful not only to energy auditors⁹ and engineers but also to the construction industry.

“When they are building a new construction, it will be great to have a model of the ducts and the pipes before the walls are closed up, so in later years you know where everything is,” says Marston.

Researchers say they are now trying to lower the backpack's weight from 15 to about 10 kilograms. The projected price of about $20,000 is still high, but they predict the device will be available for loan at a more affordable¹⁰ sum.

1 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

2 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

4 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 dispersed   

adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的

参考例句：

• The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
• After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。

6 barometer   

n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标

参考例句：

• The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
• The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

7 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

8 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

9 auditors   

n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生

参考例句：

• The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。
• a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

10 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。