Embedded Building Sensors for Early Leak and Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building system failures, such as leaks or structural damage, often go undetected for extended periods due to inaccessibility and infrequent visual inspections, leading to additional damage and increased repair costs.
Innovation Solution
A building monitoring system that uses strategically placed sensors embedded in construction materials to collect data on moisture, temperature, and other environmental conditions, analyzing this data to detect potential failures and alert homeowners or insurance providers, facilitating timely remedial actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual inspections are used to detect building system failures, then detection capability is provided, but detection timeliness deteriorates due to inaccessibility and infrequent inspections
Solution Approach 1:
The building system performs self-monitoring through embedded sensors that automatically detect moisture, temperature, and other environmental conditions without requiring human inspection. The system detects failures as they occur, eliminating the time delay inherent in periodic visual inspections while maintaining continuous detection capability.
2Loss of time
If embedded sensors are deployed for continuous monitoring, then detection timeliness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system uses multi-functional sensors that can detect multiple parameters (moisture, temperature, environmental conditions) simultaneously. This consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate sensing systems into a unified platform, reducing overall system complexity while enabling continuous monitoring for timely failure detection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If early detection systems are implemented, then additional damage is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases due to sensor embedding
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are embedded in construction materials during the building construction process rather than being installed afterward. This preliminary action integrates the monitoring capability into the building's fabric from the outset, avoiding costly retrofits and making the early detection system part of the standard construction process.
Data Source
AI summary
A building monitoring computer system for monitoring building integrity may be provided. Various types of sensors may be embedded throughout or within certain portions of different types of building or construction material making up the building, such as within roofing, foundation, or structural materials. The sensors may be in wireless communication with a home controller. The sensors may be water, moisture, temperature, vibration, or other types of sensors, and may detect unexpected or abnormal conditions within the home. The sensors and/or home controller may transmit alerts to a mobile device of the home owner associated with the unexpected condition, and/or that remedial actions may be required to repair the home or mitigate further damage to the home. The sensor data may also be communicated to an insurance provider remote server to facilitate the insurance provider communicating insurance-related recommendations, updating insurance policies, or preparing insurance claims for review for home owners.