Developed by Conserval Engineering of Toronto, Canada, the Solarwall™ is a solar system for heating ventilation air for buildings. The Solarwall looks like conventional metal cladding, but performs like a solar panel.Matrix Energy Inc. of Montreal, in partnership with Conserval, installed the Solarwall system at Bombardier's Canadair facility in Montreal, Quebec. The installation paid for itself in energy savings in just 1.7 years, and allowed the company to stop using fossil fuels, with their associated emissions.

This Technical Report has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/fC 1 56, Ventilation for buildings. This Technical Report is intended to assist in providing an acceptable indoor environment for people in ventilated buildings.This Technical Report specifies the requirements for, and methods of expressing the quality of the indoor environment for the design, collllllissioning, operation and control of ventilation and airconditioning systems. This Technical Report covers indoor environments where the major concern is the hwnan occupation but excludes dwellings.

ASHRAE has long been in the business of ventilation, but most of the focus of that effort has been in the area of commercial and institutional buildings. Residential ventilation traditionally was not a major concern because it was felt that between operable windows and envelope leakage, people were getting enough air. In the quarter of a century since the first oil shock, houses have become much more energy efficient. At the same time, the kinds of materials and functions in houses were changing in character in response to people's needs.

The Conserval Perforated Plate Solarwall is a metal solar collector designed to provide preheated ventilation (make-up) air for buildings. The system is intended primarily for industrial applications, but also has potential for commercial and multiresidential buildings with large south-facing walls. In 1991, a 420 m2 Solarwall was erected at the General Motors of Canada Battery Plant in Oshawa, Ontario. This installation reduced energy costs in several ways: by capturing solar energy, by reducing heat loss through the south-facing wall of the building, and by destratifying indoor air.

The Sapporo Factory is a large-scale commercial building complex in the heart of snowy Hokkaido. The complex has a large barrel-roof glass atrium with a comfortable indoor environment, which is maintained by making the most of cool outdoor air in summer and sunshine in winter. The atrium also provides a bright indoor space, which is never covered with snow, even in winter. Any snow falling on the glass roof is removed using the natural characteristics of snowfall.

Approximately one-third of the primary energy resources are consumed in space heating, cooling, and air-conditioning with a very low exergetic efficiency. The depleting nature of primary energy resources, negative environmental impact of fossil fuels and low exergetic efficiencies obtained in conventional space heating and cooling are the main incentives for developing alternative heating. ventilating, and air-conditioning (HV AC) techniques which can employ low density and inte1rupted energy sources.