USE OF TRANSPARENT INSULATION IN BUILDINGS

Abstract

Transparent insulation is a new class of materials that are now becoming available. In most cases they are not clear and transparent but rather translucent and transmit a high proportion of the solar radiation. There is a wide range of possibilities to apply transparent insulation materials. Four examples, chosen from quite different fields of thermal solar energy use in buildings are discussed in this paper: The first is house heating by means of external transparent insulation on massive walls. Next the concept of integrated storage collectors is discussed which under Central European weather condition becomes feasable only when good transparent insulsation materials are used. Another chapter describes the improvements of flat plate collectors which can be achieved by the use of transparent insulation materials in the front cover. Finally an outlook on thermal storages with radiatively heated walls is given.