What's New

Excellent new book on SOLAR Combisystems now available

We've just added another book to our e-store.

Solar Heating Systems for Houses
A Design Handbook for Solar Combisystems
Edited by: Werner Weiss
Published in 2003
ISBN: 1-902916-46-8
313 pages: Hardcover

Although the largest share of the residential market for solar thermal systems is for domestic water heating, there is ever-growing interest in "combisystems" that supply both DHW and space heating. This is true in Europe as well as North America. As with conventional hydonics, there are many ways to design and control such systems.

I recently came across a publication that was specifically focused on such systems. It compares the many different designs that have been used over the last 20 years in Europe. It presents the collaborative work of 26 experts from Europe and the US, and 11 solar industries in the IEA (International Energy Agency) Solar Heating and Cooling Program's task 26, Solar Combisystems.

This publication discusses systems for detached single-family residences, grouped residences, and multi-family buildings. It provides standard classifications, evaluation processes and design tools for these systems. It is well illustrated with schematics, and photos of existing installations. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a thorough overview of solar combisystems.

Table of Contents:
Preface
1. Solar Combisystems and the Global Energy Challenge
2. The Solar Resource
3. Heat Demand for Buildings
4. Generic Solar Combisystems
5. Building Related Aspects of Solar Combisystems
6. Performance of Solar Combisystems
7. Performance and Reliability of Solar Combisystems
8. Dimensioning of Solar Combisystems
9. Built Examples
10. Testing and Certification of Solar Combisystems
Appendix 1: Reference Library
Appendix 2: Vocabulary
Appendix 3: IEA solar Heating and Cooling Program
Appendix 3: Task 26