Tests Carried Out at the Station BELARE 2007-2008

Insulation and Thermal Bridge Tests

Given that the inside installations have not been put inside the station yet, the time was perfect to see whether there were any heat leaks between the inside and outside of the station. Using a Forward-Looking Infra-Red camera (FLIR), the team tested the building's overall insulating performance in order to make sure the cold couldn't enter the station. No problems were detected.

Thermal Solar Panel Tests

Because the test panel had broken during its trip down to Utsteinen, functional engineering tests couldn't be carried out. Nonetheless, the team did manage to verify the panel's mechanical integration and validate the team's initial measurements.

Wind Turbine Tests

Out of the eight wind turbines which have been installed along the northern end of the Utsteinen ridge, one is being tested to see how it performs throughout the year. Given the over-voltage problems the team encountered last year (the turbine produced more voltage than the power grid could handle), Johan Berte and Bernard Polet modified a mechanical setting of the turbine this year. For the time being the turbine seems to be in good shape and is supplying energy for the automatic weather station.

Tests on the Building's Technical Integration

The team also spent three days of taking measurements of the various places of the finished station where the technical installations will be placed. They also performed a detailed photographic survey. Using these data, the existing virtual technical integration, a Computer-Aided Design (CAD), will be finalized to ensure everything will fit into place when it is installed next year.