The more sunlight solar panels receive, the hotter they get. The hotter they get, the more inefficient they become at converting energy into electricity. A new modular solar panel currently under development at Brunel University London solves this issue by using heat pipes to gather this excess heat and use it to produce a building’s hot water.
PVadapt aims to perfect a flexible solar powered renewable energy system that generates both heat for hot water and electricity. “With our system, there is no waste heat,” said Technical Co-ordinator, Professor Hussam Jouhara, who invented the multifunctional Flat Heat Pipe. The panels cost about $340 each and can be used in social housing, public buildings and offices, and even in developing countries and off-grid.
See Also: Certified Green Buildings may have an advantage in capital markets
The panels can be installed quickly on-site thanks to the design that allows them to clip together as a weather-tight roof. The project team describes this process as being as simple as clipping together LEGOs or laminate flooring. For a more detailed look at how the product is clipped together on-site, take a look at the diagram below.
PVadapt will soon be used in multiple pilot projects across eight buildings, both residential and commercial, in Spain, Greece, Austria, and Portugal. Horizon 2020 is funding the project.
Related Stories
| May 22, 2014
Big Data meets data centers – What the coming DCIM boom means to owners and Building Teams
The demand for sophisticated facility monitoring solutions has spurred a new market segment—data center infrastructure management (DCIM)—that is likely to impact the way data center projects are planned, designed, built, and operated.
| May 16, 2014
BoA, USGBC to offer $25,000 grants for green affordable housing projects
The Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program will offer 14 grants to developers of affordable housing in North America who are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.
| May 15, 2014
Paints, coatings, and sealants: 10 new ways to seal the deal
Color-shifting finishes, dry-erase surfaces, and stain-blocking paints are highlighted in this round up of new offerings in paints, coatings, sealants, and finishes.
| May 14, 2014
Must see: Vertical forest goes up in the heart of Milan
Some 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 floral plants have been planted on the terraces of Bosco Verticale, a new high-rise residential development in Milan.
| May 13, 2014
Drexel University case study report: Green Globes cheaper, faster than LEED
GBI’s Green Globes certification process is significantly less expensive to conduct and faster to complete than LEED certification, says Drexel prof.
| May 13, 2014
19 industry groups team to promote resilient planning and building materials
The industry associations, with more than 700,000 members generating almost $1 trillion in GDP, have issued a joint statement on resilience, pushing design and building solutions for disaster mitigation.
| May 12, 2014
10 highest-rated green hotels in the U.S.
The ARIA Sky Suites in Las Vegas and the Lenox Hotel in Boston are among the 10 most popular hotels (according to user reviews) to also achieve Platinum status in TripAdvisor's GreenLeaders program.
Smart Buildings | Apr 28, 2014
Cities Alive: Arup report examines latest trends in urban green spaces
From vertical farming to glowing trees (yes, glowing trees), Arup engineers imagine the future of green infrastructure in cities across the world.
| Mar 26, 2014
Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies
Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.
| Mar 25, 2014
Sydney breaks ground on its version of the High Line elevated park [slideshow]
The 500-meter-long park will feature bike paths, study pods, and outdoor workspaces.
