IRT Surveys

What IRT Surveys does

IRT Surveys Ltd is a Dundee-based building diagnostics and energy-efficiency software firm founded in January 2002. The company operates two integrated lines: a thermal imaging survey service delivered through its branded MappIR van fleet and CAA-certified drone operations, and DREam, a proprietary cloud platform that models individual homes, runs SAP2012 calculations, generates retrofit plans, and surfaces funding opportunities such as ECO and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Survey data captured by the MappIR fleet and drones feeds directly into DREam, creating a closed-loop workflow that combines physical inspection with software-driven optimisation, predictive analytics, and AI-assisted data cleansing.

The business primarily serves UK social housing providers, local authorities, and housing associations — a customer set aligned with statutory 2030 and 2050 Net Zero obligations — alongside commercial, educational, MOD, and industrial property owners. Notable customers include Aberdeen City Council (a 19-year relationship covering 35,000+ homes), Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Notting Hill Genesis, British Gas, OVO Energy, E.ON, SSE, and Kingspan. IRT has surveyed more than 500,000 homes and 20,000 commercial buildings cumulatively, including high-profile sites such as Buckingham Palace, the White House, the Reichstag, and EU Headquarters. A 2021 partnership with Hinckley & Rugby Building Society extends the offering into the green-mortgage channel.

IRT's revenue model combines recurring DREam software subscriptions (with a freemium entry-point data integrity check) with project-based thermal imaging survey and data analysis professional services. The company is a subsidiary of Mears Group PLC following its August 2022 acquisition, and has added strategic alliances — notably a 2022 partnership with climate-tech firm Tallarna to embed AI risk quantification and ESG funding access — and consortium positions with CARA and Robertson Construction on BEIS-backed programmes including the £5.2m DORIC project for Aberdeen City Council.

Name

IRT Surveys

Legal name

IRT Surveys Ltd

Website

https://irtsurveys.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IRT Surveys provides thermal imaging building surveys and the DREam cloud retrofit-planning platform, primarily serving UK social housing providers, local authorities, and housing associations pursuing Net Zero targets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Energy Diagnostics and Retrofit Planning

NAICS

Building Inspection Services (541350), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate ESG / Sustainability & Resilience Advisory (Decarbonization, Climate Risk) (BPAJANAI)

Keywords

• Thermal imaging surveys
• Retrofit planning software
• Social housing decarbonisation
• Building energy diagnostics
• Infrared building surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Dundee

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DREam Software Subscription: Cloud-based software subscription model for housing providers to access energy modelling, retrofit planning, and funding alerts. Delivered as subscription with initial free data integrity check, then recurring annual payments.
2. Thermal Imaging Survey Services: Professional thermal imaging survey services delivered on-site by certified surveyors. Expert surveyors deployed within 5 working days, with reports delivered within 10 working days. Covers housing stock analysis, flat roof surveys, building envelope surveys, electrical/mechanical surveys, and specialist surveys for MOD, tower blocks, commercial, educational, historical, and industrial buildings.
3. Data Analysis and Retrofit Modelling Support: Hands-on data analyst support to help housing providers analyse their housing stock data for energy efficiency improvements, including property-level assessments and portfolio-wide stock condition analysis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IRT Surveys delivers rapid infrared thermal imaging surveys of residential, commercial and public buildings to identify heat loss, damp and insulation defects, supported by its proprietary DREam cloud platform that models individual homes, generates tailored retrofit plans and surfaces Net Zero funding opportunities for housing providers. The company operates a UK-wide MappIR van fleet and CAA-approved drone capability that feed survey data directly into the DREam energy modelling software.

Product overview

IRT Surveys offers a portfolio of building inspection and energy efficiency solutions comprising two core integrated products: Thermal Imaging Surveys (delivered via MappIR vans and drone technology) and the DREam cloud-based software platform. Thermal imaging data from surveys automatically feeds into DREam, which processes the information to generate tailored retrofit plans, calculate SAP/EPC ratings, and identify funding opportunities. An additional eDash module provides supplementary energy saving advice. Together, these products enable housing providers to assess building fabric condition, model energy performance, optimize retrofit investment, and access Net-Zero funding through a single integrated workflow.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thermal Imaging Surveys Non-invasive infrared thermal imaging surveys for residential, commercial and industrial buildings that detect heat loss, moisture, leaks and insulation defects. Delivered via MappIR van fleet for housing stock analysis, flat roof surveys and building envelope surveys, plus CAA-approved drones for hard-to-access structures including tower blocks, schools, historical and MOD buildings. Reports delivered within 10 working days.
• DREam Retrofit Software Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• Survey turnaround within 10 working days from survey request
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mears Group PLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022In August 2022, IRT was acquired by Mears Group PLC. This integration enhances Mears' retrofit and maintenance services by embedding IRT's thermal imaging technology and DREam software. IRT now provides Mears with in-house carbon reduction capabilities including intelligent retrofit planning, access to Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, and end-to-end retrofit delivery from thermal imaging through to implementation.
• TallarnacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRT partnered with climate tech company Tallarna to provide a turnkey solution for retrofit identification, design, insurance, funding, and contracting. The partnership combines IRT's thermal imaging and DREam data with Tallarna's AI models, allowing customers to leverage a single platform for identifying, designing, insuring, funding, and contracting retrofit projects at scale. Tallarna provides risk quantification and access to ESG funding.
• CARAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRT formed a consortium with CARA (multi-disciplined contractor) to provide a 'one-stop shop' for whole-house retrofit services to local authorities and housing associations. The consortium aims to support retrofitting of up to 1.6 million properties through BEIS Local Energy Hubs. Won positions on Procure Plus Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Domestic Retrofit Programme Delivery and exclusive specialist supplier status on SHED Framework.
• Aberdeen City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject lead for the £5.2m DORIC project backed by BEIS £50m investment fund. IRT analysed 22,000 homes, identified suitable properties using DREam, and conducted thermal imaging surveys. Partnership demonstrates large-scale social housing retrofit planning combining thermal imaging, AI modelling, and government funding access.
• SMS PLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder and supplier of photovoltaics (PVs) and batteries for the DORIC project. Partnered with IRT and Robertson Construction to deliver comprehensive single-visit surveys and retrofit installation across Aberdeen housing stock.
• Robertson ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMain contractor for the DORIC project, partnering with IRT and SMS to deliver the £5.2m retrofit programme for Aberdeen City Council. Provided installation and construction expertise for the comprehensive retrofit works.
• Hinckley & Rugby Building SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRT partnered with Hinckley & Rugby Building Society to support their green mortgage programme. IRT provides impartial thermal performance analysis and energy efficiency evaluation for mortgage customers, helping members understand energy inefficiencies and investment required for retrofits to improve EPC ratings.
• The Carbon TrustminorOthersEarly venture support from The Carbon Trust, supporting IRT's innovation in energy efficiency technology and thermal imaging solutions.
• Centrica Ignite AcceleratorminorOthersSupport from Centrica's Ignite accelerator programme, providing resources and mentorship for energy efficiency and decarbonisation technology development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Parity Projects: UK retrofit consultancy delivering whole-house energy modelling, cost-optimal retrofit plans, and stock assessment tooling. Highly comparable to IRT in combining building physics analytics with housing-sector advisory and shares IRT's social housing and local authority customers.
• BRE Group (Building Research Establishment): UK building science research and testing organisation providing energy performance evaluation, building fabric testing, and standards-setting services. Comparable to IRT as a trusted technical authority on UK housing stock performance and retrofit, though at much larger scale and broader remit.
• Verco: UK environmental and energy consultancy that delivers building-level carbon and energy assessments, retrofit feasibility, and ESG advisory. Highly comparable to IRT's housing decarbonization advisory work and shares a similar mid-sized, specialist positioning.
• Elementa Consulting: UK built-environment sustainability consultancy offering energy modelling, retrofit strategy, and net-zero advisory to housing providers, developers, and public sector clients. Direct overlap with IRT in dwelling-level modelling and whole-house retrofit planning.
• Anthesis: Global sustainability consultancy with a large built-environment practice delivering net-zero and retrofit advisory to housing and corporate clients. Comparable to IRT on the decarbonization advisory layer and noted as a customer of IRT's survey services in the data.

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: Global infrastructure consultancy with substantial UK sustainability, energy, and retrofit advisory practices serving housing associations and local authorities. A broader incumbent that competes with IRT for retrofit planning mandates and framework positions, but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• WSP: Global engineering professional services firm with UK property and sustainability advisory that delivers energy and net-zero retrofit services to public sector and housing clients. Competes with IRT at the framework level but does not specialise in thermal-imaging-led retrofit diagnostics.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering, management, and development consultancy with UK-based advisory work on housing decarbonization, low-carbon retrofit, and net-zero strategies for public sector clients. Comparable at the advisory layer though it typically leads at larger programme and policy scales than IRT's stock-level work.
• Buro Happold: UK-headquartered engineering consultancy with a strong sustainability and building performance practice covering energy strategy and retrofit advisory for real estate and public sector. Overlaps with IRT's decarbonization advisory for real estate, but operates as a broader multi-discipline incumbent.
• Carbon Trust: UK not-for-profit advisory accelerating the move to a low-carbon economy, with services including housing energy efficiency and retrofit advisory. Compares to IRT on the advisory and standards layer for housing decarbonization and is noted in IRT's history as an early supporter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irt-surveys-ltd.

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IRT Surveys