In fact, solar pool heating is the single most cost-effective use of solar energy in many climates, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. While photovoltaic systems convert the sun’s light into usable energy, solar thermal systems generate energy by capturing and amplifying the sun’s heat.

PRODUCT OR PROCESS A Brooklyn-based firm, SMIT (Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology), has created a product called Solar Ivy. Mimicking the look and function of ivy, this mimic has wind and solar power generating photovoltaic leaves that can be attached to building facades. CHALLENGES SOLVED Solar panels take up a lot of space. Solar Ivy is designed to be placed on building facades, taking advantage of vertical spaces.

The Australian solar thermal research initiative (ASTRI) is an $87 million, eight year international collaboration with leading research institutions, industry bodies and universities that will transform Australia into a global leader in concentrating solar thermal (CST) power technologies.

These systems use an array of parabolic dish-shaped mirrors (similar in shape to a satellite dish) to focus solar energy onto a receiver located at the focal point of the dish. Fluid in the receiver is heated up to 1000°C and is utilized directly to generate electricity in a small engine attached to the receiver.

Nowadays architecture and photovoltaic solar energy can be combined to create a A new form of construction. Curtain walls offer architects a multitude of possibilities for the integration of photovoltaic solar energy into buildings in an efficient and ecological manner.