A complete overview of solar technologies relevant to the built environment, including solar thermal energy for heating and cooling, passive solar energy for daylighting and heating supply, and photovoltaics for electricity production Provides practical examples and calculations to enable component and system simulation e.g. Calculation of U-values, I-V curve parameters and radiance distribution modelling Discusses the new trends in thermal energy use, including the architectural integration of collector systems, integrated ventilation photovoltaics facades and solar powered absorption cooling systems Coverage of cutting-edge applications such as active and passive cooling techniques and results from ongoing research projects

* A complete overview of solar technologies relevant to the built environment, including solar thermal energy for heating and cooling, passive solar energy for daylighting and heating supply, and photovoltaics for electricity production * Provides practical examples and calculations to enable component and system simulation e.g. Calculation of U-values, I-V curve parameters and radiance distribution modelling * Discusses the new trends in thermal energy use, including the architectural integration of collector systems, integrated ventilation photovoltaics facades and solar powered absorption cooling systems * Coverage of cutting-edge applications such as active and passive cooling techniques and results from ongoing research projects

This book includes 10 original contributions from a thematic Workshop organized in Athens, covering most of the areas of solar thermal technologies as applied to buildings. It focuses on future perspectives for related materials and technologies with strategic importance for passive solar heating.

This book examines solar technologies, describes their properties, and evaluates the technological potential of each. It also reviews the logistics of deploying solar energy as a viable and sustainable way to solve urgent energy, environmental, and socio-economic problems. Topics discussed include solar power generation, today’s solar technologies, solar thermal, silicon PV, thin PV, 3-D solar cells, nano-PV, organic solar cells, solar successes and failures, solar power fields, finance and regulations, solar markets and solar energy and the environment.