A system for heating a work fluid and for air circulation comprises a plurality of collectors fitted top-to-top in one or more columns, such that air ducts of the modules constitute a single duct along a column, wherein the solar collector comprises: one solar radiation planar absorber with one anterior face exposed to solar radiation and another posterior face affixed to the work fluid piping; one duct for exchanging heat with the planar absorber via the air duct which has its air inlet and outlet on opposite tops of the solar collector. The system can additionally comprise a descendent air duct to collect air from the upper part of the building and to supply air to the lower side of one or more columns of the facade.

A system for supplying hot water to a floor of a building having a plurality of floors is disclosed. The system includes a hot water vessel operable to supply hot water for use in the floor of the building, the hot water vessel having an inlet for receiving cold water and a heating coil for transferring heat to water within the hot water vessel. The system also includes a heat exchanger having an outlet in liquid communication with the inlet of the hot water vessel, the heat exchanger being operable to collect stagnant heat within the floor and to preheat cold water flowing through the heat exchanger for delivery to the inlet of the hot water vessel. A hot water supply system for a plurality of apartments in a multi-story building having at least one exterior solar-facing wall exposed to solar radiation and a fire sprinkler supply system for a building are also disclosed.

An installation for producing electricity and heat, comprising a gas turbine unit, a photovoltaic unit and a solar thermal unit, and being configured for switching between: a first operation mode, in which the gas turbine unit produces said electricity and said heat, a second operation mode, in which the gas turbine unit produces only part of said electricity and the photovoltaic unit produces a rest of said electricity, and in which the solar thermal unit either produces a rest of said heat or provides heat to the gas turbine unit, and a third operation mode, in which said electricity and said heat are produced by the photovoltaic unit, the solar thermal unit, and optionally one or several steam turbines of the gas turbine unit.

A method for utilizing heat in a plant or animal growing device includes circulating a heat transfer fluid through a circuit forming a closed fluid loop, heating the heat transfer fluid by a heat source, supplying heat from the heat transfer fluid to a first heat user which may be a thermal desalination unit, and returning at least part of the heat transfer fluid that has been cooled down. The heat transfer fluid supplies heat to at least one additional heat user serially arranged before or after the thermal desalination unit. The temperature ranges of the heat transfer fluid are within the optimal operating temperature ranges of the respective heat users in the fluid circuit. A corresponding system and greenhouse by which the method of the invention may be implemented is also described.

A method for utilizing heat in a plant or animal growing device includes circulating a heat transfer fluid through a circuit forming a closed fluid loop, heating, via a heat source, the heat transfer fluid in the fluid circuit to a temperature within an efficient operating range of a first heat unit, supplying heat from the heat transfer fluid to a first heat unit, the first heat unit cooling down at least part of the heat transfer fluid to a temperature within an efficient operating range of at least one additional heat unit connected in serial arrangement with the heat source and the first heat unit, supplying heat from the heat transfer fluid from the first heat unit to the additional heat unit, the additional heat unit cooling down at least part of the heat transfer fluid, and returning the cooled down part of the heat transfer fluid from the additional heat unit to the heat source in the fluid circuit.

A heating system of a building includes: a solar heater configured to receive sunlight and to at least one of absorb heat into a refrigerant and augment heat absorbed into the refrigerant; a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant that vaporized via absorption of heat; a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant to water; an expansion valve configured to reduce at least one of a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant after the transfer of heat from the refrigerant to water; a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from water output from the first heat exchanger to air passing the second heat exchanger before flowing into the building; a pump configured to pump the water from the solar heater to the second heat exchanger; and a blower configured to blow air past the second heat exchanger and into the building.

A fluid-based system for use in heating and/or cooling. In particular, the system may have a fluid heating device, which may be a solar fluid heating device, configured to heat a fluid. Heat from the heated fluid may be transferred to one or more cooling subsystems or heating subsystems. A cooling subsystem may be an absorption cooling subsystem, for example, wherein heat may cause phase change of a refrigerant. A heating subsystem may include a storage tank through which heated fluid may be circulated to heat the storage tank. A system of the present disclosure may include multiple cooling and/or heating subsystems for cooling and or heating a variety of different environments, objects, or materials.