A water hygiene improving system and method are provided which may include and utilize one or more water hygiene improving devices which may be coupled to a building water supply network at any number of locations so that water passing through each water hygiene improving device is returned to the building water supply network. The water hygiene improving device may include one or more membrane filtration systems and optionally one or more bioreactors. The system and method include a new and innovative approach for surviving or improving water hygiene within the whole water supply network of new or existing buildings, for prevention of their contamination with legionella or other pathogens, general limitation of biofilm growth and their negative effects on water hygiene, also at point of use (POU), and water distribution within new or existing buildings by limitation of incoming nutrients, bacteria and other microorganisms at point of entry (POE) of buildings or at other locations of the water supply network within the building.

A hydronic panel and system for heating and/or cooling a room is disclosed. The hydronic panel includes a plurality of contiguous channels. A first chamber is located at a first end, preferably the upper end, of the panel and includes an inlet and communicates with a first subset of the channels. A second chamber is located at an opposite end of the panel and communicates with the first subset and also with a second subset of the channels. A third chamber is located at the first end of the panel, the third chamber communicates with the second subset of the channels and includes an outlet. In this configuration, heated or cooled water flows from the inlet into the first chamber, through the first subset of the channels, to the second chamber, through the second subset of the channels, into the third chamber and out the outlet. Consequently, the heated or cooled water can heat or cool the space. In addition to at least one hydronic panel, the system includes a source of heated and/or cooled water under sufficient pressure to cause the water to flow through the panel. The system also includes a controller to control one or both of the temperature of the water and the flow rate of the water through the panel.

Water-source heat pump systems include a solar heater to supplement heating operations and a radiative cooler such as one or more radiative cooling panels to allow the system to reject heat. The system can be controlled based on a target temperature, a current temperature, and temperatures at one or both of the solar heater and/or the radiative cooler, selecting a mechanical cooling mode, a hybrid cooling mode, a free cooling mode, a hybrid heating mode, or a free heating mode based on the temperatures.

A heating system for heating a fluid received at an inlet, the system including a first heating device disposed in a first heated line branched from the inlet, wherein a first flow of the fluid through the first heated line is configured to be modulated by a first valve; a second heating device disposed in a second heated line branched from the inlet, wherein a second flow of the fluid through the second heated line is configured to be modulated by a second valve; and a bypass line and a third valve disposed in the bypass line, wherein a flow through the bypass line is configured to be modulated by the third valve, wherein the first and second heating devices and the first, second and third valve are configured to cooperate to heat the fluid at an outlet received from the first and second heated line and the bypass line.

A hydronic heating system that may depend on pressure in the system for smooth operation. The pressure may be monitored. Pressure in the system may indicate health of the heating system. Certain pressures or variations of pressures may indicate one or more conditions in the system which may be good or adverse. An example of an adverse condition may be leakage of fluid from the system. Analyzes of pressures detected in the heating system may be performed by a computer programmed to indicate conditions of the system that are reflected by the detected pressures.

A hydronic heating system that may depend on pressure in the system for smooth operation. The pressure may be monitored. Pressure in the system may indicate health of the heating system. Certain pressures or variations of pressures may indicate one or more conditions in the system which may be good or adverse. An example of an adverse condition may be leakage of fluid from the system. Analyzes of pressures detected in the heating system may be performed by a computer programmed to indicate conditions of the system that are reflected by the detected pressures.

A dual energy gas water heater is described and wherein a square flange, curved resistor style resistive heating element, is secured in a bottom portion of the tank of the water heater spaced above a top wall of the combustion chamber. A gas burner is secured in the combustion chamber and connected to a gas supply line through a gas valve. The curved resistive heating element is a low density, long life, element having a density in the range of about 20 to 80 watts/sq. inches. A switch is secured between the thermostat of the resistive heating element and the voltage supply line. A controller selectively operates the switch and the gas valve to disconnect the voltage supply line from the thermostat and/or shut-off the gas valve secured to the gas supply line depending on the desired source of energy. The controller is adapted to be optionally controlled by a utility/provider through a communication link. Renewable energy source may also be secured to an additional resistive heating element to improve the efficiency thereof.

In a heating and hot water supply device comprising a burning means, a first heat exchanger, a circulation passage for circulating a heating thermal medium, a circulation pump, a first bypass passage, a second heat exchanger for hot water supply, a hot water supply passage, a second bypass passage bypassing the second heat exchanger, and a control unit, a distribution means is provided at a first branching portion of the first bypass passage and is capable of adjusting its distribution ratio for heating, or hot water supply, or simultaneous heating/hot water supply, during heating operation, the hot water supply passage is closed by a flow rate adjustment means provided in the hot water supply passage.

A temperature controlled structure assembly comprises an array of structural panels each including at least one channel formed therein. At least one channel of each of the structural panels is aligned with at least one of the channels of an adjacent one of the structural panels to form a continuous channel extending through the array of the structural panels. At least one functional panel overlays the array of structural panels and is exposed for contact with a user. At least one heat exchanging element is disposed within the continuous channel and configured to exchange heat with the at least one functional panel in order to heat or cool the at least one functional panel.

Provided is an hybrid solar heat absorption cooling system comprising: an absorption refrigerator; a solar heat steam generator configured to generate steam using solar heat; a daytime steam supplying unit configured to supply steam generated by the solar heat steam generator during the day as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a daytime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the day; a nighttime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the daytime hot water storage tank during the night as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a nighttime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the night; and a daytime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the nighttime hot water storage tank during the day to the solar heat steam generator.