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FID Case Study: Kestrix
Kestrix is transforming how cities understand and improve building energy performance using drones, thermal imaging and AI to reveal where heat is lost and where action is needed most.
Through the Future Industries Demonstrator (FID) at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Kestrix has demonstrated how data-led retrofit planning can accelerate progress towards net zero, reduce costs and build trust with residents.
The challenge
Heating and cooling buildings account for around 20% of CO₂ emissions, making retrofit a critical priority in the transition to a low-carbon future.
Yet retrofit programmes often face significant barriers:
- Slow, manual and costly on-site energy surveys
- Limited visibility of where heat loss is actually occurring
- Challenges in prioritising interventions at scale
- Difficulty verifying whether retrofit measures have worked
- Low levels of resident engagement and trust
For housing associations, councils and contractors, delivering retrofit efficiently remains a major challenge.
The solution
The ‘Google Maps of heat loss’
Kestrix has developed a digital platform that combines drone-mounted thermal imaging and AI to map and quantify heat loss across buildings.
The platform provides:
- Fast, highly visual insights into building performance
- Data-driven retrofit planning and prioritisation
- Verification of improvements through pre- and post-intervention scans
- Clear outputs that support decision-making and communication
By replacing manual surveys with scalable analysis, Kestrix enables more accurate and transparent retrofit programmes.
Testing at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Through FID, Kestrix explored how its technology could be deployed at scale in a live urban setting.
Trial approach
- Scanning 100 homes scheduled for retrofit
- Establishing baseline heat loss conditions
- Conducting post-retrofit scans to measure improvements
Key hypotheses tested
- Resident engagement improves when people are given clear, visual heat-loss maps and tailored advice
- Retrofit effectiveness can be validated using before-and-after data comparisons
The Park provided a powerful environment to test this approach, connecting technology with real homes, real communities and real retrofit programmes.
