Onset’s HOBO product line includes versatile tools for contractors to monitor what’s going on inside a home. Among them is the MX1101 temperature and humidity logger, which delivers data wirelessly to mobile devices for easy downloading and analysis. In homes, the MX1101 can help users identify mold-prone areas or fine-tune a home’s heating and cooling needs. The associated mobile app lets users configure the device, set the time-frame for monitoring, and receive alarm notifications if problems arise. The reliable sensors and data loggers are being used in university programs to help teach the finer points of building science. Students at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) are using Onset's temperature and relative humidity data loggers in a hands-on green construction project.
“The data loggers are collecting data every six hours in the two test houses," says Donny Holmes, program director and instructor of construction management. "One of the houses is built similar to the majority of houses in the US. The other house is an EarthCraft House and was built under new green building and energy efficiency standards. The data loggers will be able to visually provide proof to many contractors, building inspectors, homeowners, etc. that building with energy efficiency in mind is really the most beneficial way to build.”
Onset data loggers were installed in the crawlspaces of both buildings (right). Holmes says the crawlspace in the EarthCraft house is 26-mil vapor barrier, the walls are, insulated, and the space is not ventilated except for a dehumidifier. In the standard-construction house, the crawlspace is vented, has minimal vapor barrier, and humidity levels are expected to be very high compared to the levels in the EarthCraft House. Students will monitor temperature an humidity levels over the course of a year to better understand how each construction technique performs. “These data loggers will be a huge part of this ongoing project," Holmes says. "They will provide the needed data that we can share with many others to prove energy efficiency and that building this way is just smart."
In addition to the MX1101, which is available for $135, Onset also offers devices that track occupancy and lighting usage. The monitors are ideal for commercial buildings in which property managers want to save energy. Using the data loggers can help them identify when certain areas of a building aren't being used can help managers know when to adjust thermostats and lighting when areas of a building are vacant.
