Energy use in buildings represents 40% of the total primary energy used in the EU and therefore developing effective energy alternatives is imperative. Solar thermal systems (STS) will have a main role to play as they contribute directly to the heating and cooling of buildings and the provision of domestic hot water. STS are typically mounted on building roofs with no attempt to incorporate them into the building envelope, creating aesthetic challenges and space availability problems. The Action will foster and accelerate long-term development in STS through critical review, experimentation, simulation and demonstration of viable systems for full incorporation and integration into the traditional building envelope. Viable solutions will also consider economic constraints, resulting in cost effective Building Integrated STS. Additionally, factors like structural integrity, weather impact protection, fire and noise protection will be considered. The most important benefit of this Action is the increased adoption of RES in buildings. Three generic European regions are considered; Southern Mediterranean, Central Continental and Northern Maritime Europe, to fully explore the Pan-European nature of STS integration. The Action consortium presents a critical mass of European knowledge, expertise, resources, skills and R&D in the area of STS, supporting innovation and conceptual thinking.
Building integration - Solar thermal systems - Renewable energy - Envelope integrity problems - Cost effective solutions
