Solar energy halves heating costs
Fuel costs for heating were more than halved following the retrofit of CA Group’s transpired solar collector to one of its existing buildings. The independent testing was carried out by BSRIA. and showed an annual saving of 304 MWh.
BSRIA carried out an air-permeability test as well as installing 16 temperature and humidity sensors internally and externally to monitor heat distribution and internal stratification.
Following the SolarWall retrofit, the building was monitored with 32 thermo-couples in the SolarWall cavity and a pyranometer in the plane of the collector. SolarWall air temperatures and solar-radiation levels were recorded and logged at 5-minute intervals.
The building was originally heated by a single gas heating unit that was only effective at the heat-delivery point. There were considerable temperature differences across the building. It also suffered from negative pressure, aggravated by continual opening and closing of doors.
