Solar Energy and the Building Holistic Energy Concept
Abstract
Solar thermal collectors (STC) and photovoltaics (PV) can be effectively combined with other Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to adapt energy demand of buildings. Buildings should be designed according to bioclimatic architecture, to reduce energy needs and minimize CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Therefore, the application of solar energy systems is actually useful regarding their contribution to the total energy consumption. Solar thermal collectors and photovoltaics can be grouped into façade and roof integrated systems and should be installed properly to adapt building architecture, improving also its thermal insulation. In addition, small wind energy generators, heat pumps operating with geothermal energy and biomass boilers, can also be applied, being effectively combined with the solar energy system, to achieve the holistic energy saving concept of buildings. In the present work some innovative systems are briefly described and aspects regarding aesthetics and other application issues are discussed. The wide use of RES combined with passive heating and cooling, natural lighting, air ventilation, infrared heat protection and other building energy saving improvements can replace a great amount of conventional energy sources in heating, cooling and electricity, contributing to a significant CO2 reduction in global scale.