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Solar Air Heating and Ventilation
Overview
Global Highlights
What’s Happening in Western Canada?
What Does it Cost?
Environmental Matters
Technical Matters
Can I Use it at Home?
Links
OVERVIEW
Solarwall is a metal cladding system that preheats ventilation
air, reducing energy costs and C02 emissions while improving
air quality. Solarwall was created by Conserval Engineering
in Toronto, Ontario and is patented throughout the world.
The panel’s use is not restricted to sunny days; it works
at all hours of the day, and all seasons of the year. On
cloudy days and at night it conserves energy by holding heat
in the air cavity that would normally be lost through the
wall. In the summer, when heating is not required, a damper
opens to bypass the solar collector while still providing
a continual supply of fresh air. The wall also acts as a
heat shade, preventing the summer’s sun from reaching the
main wall and conducting the heat indoors.
Solar heating is particularly attractive when there is snow,
since snow provides a high reflective albedo quality that
enhances the performance of the system by 50 to 70%. This
is why Solarwall works especially well in cold and northern
climates.
The all-metal design has received numerous honours and awards
from the U.S. Department of Energy, Natural Resources Canada,
ASHRAE, the Toronto Construction Association, Popular Science
Magazine, R&D Magazine and many more.
There are tax incentives available for companies and municipalities
installing solar heating and ventilation systems. One program
is the REDI grant, a rebate of 25% up to $80,000 for installations
of solar air heating and ventilation systems, offered by
the federal government.
Typical energy savings have been in the range of 2 to 4
therms per square foot of solar cladding per year, depending
on fuel costs. Reducing the energy load has become an extremely
important consideration for many municipalities and companies
in recent years.
GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS
Victoria Park Bus Maintenance Garage
Calgary, Alberta |
Solarwall has been sold in 22 countries throughout the world.
In North America, Europe and Asia it has been used on such
buildings as bus maintenance garages, schools, high rise
buildings, restaurants and commercial buildings. In Malaysia
and Indonesia, it has been used for crop drying; in Quebec
for manure drying.
The largest Solarwall project in eastern Canada is the Bombardier
building in Quebec with 100,000 sq. ft. of Solarwall. In
western Canada, the largest project is the City of Calgary’s
bus maintenance garages with 30,000 sq. ft..
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WESTERN CANADA?
In B.C., the Peace River North, Coquitlam and Delta School
Districts have installed Solarwalls on some of their school
gymnasiums.
Seaquam Secondary School
Delta School District, Delta, B.C. |
Centennial Secondary School
Coquitlam School District, Coquitlam, B.C |
Interior Plumbing and Heating installed Solarwall on their
building in Kamloops.
In Alberta, the City of Calgary, through an ESCO group,
installed Solarwall on their bus maintenance garages. As
a result of the success of this project, the City of Calgary
has since installed Solarwall on its Manchester High Rise
Building.
 The
Art Smith AeroCentre (SAIT in Calgary, pictured on right)
and DND’s new lecture facility in Edmonton are both using
Solarwall to heat their classrooms. This is DND’s second
installation in Alberta, after the Cold Lake Water Treatment
Plant.
The Grassy Lake School near Tabor, the Okotoks Operation
Centre in Okotoks, Lees Sheet Metal in Grand Prairie and
Edwards Garage in Rocky Mountain House are all using Solarwall
to reduce their energy costs.
Several schools in Saskatchewan now have Solarwall, including
the RCMP training facility in Saskatoon.
There are also Solarwall installations in the NWT—a Catholic
School, a Geoscience Building, the Inuvik Correctional Institute
and the Ft. Smith Recreational Facility.
WHAT DOES IT COST
Solarwall costs approximately $14/sq. ft. This includes Solarwall
cladding, matching fasteners and flashing, foam strips, horizontal
bars and girts, engineered drawings, crating and freight.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Solarwall is made of steel or aluminum, and therefore uses
some recycled material. Its use reduces CO2 emissions substantially,
through the reduced energy use. A Solarwall will also help
a building win points under the LEED
Green Building program.
TECHNICAL MATTERS
Solarwall consists of metal cladding which is vented either
directly into a room, or drawn into an existing ventilation
system. It is a very simple, sustainable product which will
fit in with any colour scheme. Solarwall comes in 20 different
decorator colours, although black and dark brown rank best
as far as solar absorptivity is concerned.
CAN I DO IT AT HOME?
Solarwall is available as a residential kit which is easy
to install. A 1,000 sq. ft. house requires 2 panels which
are 40" x 49" long for the south wall, a fan and
controls. The air from the panels is then ducted into a forced
air furnace or directly into a room. Payback would be about
4 years.
LINKS
Credits
Written by Donna Lewis
Text updated October 4th, 2004
Links updated September 7, 2007
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