Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

In some instances the obtained sensor data may be used to detect the occurrence or imminently predicted occurrence of a catastrophic event, including but not limited to fire or flooding, internal or external to the predominantly enclosed space.

In some embodiments this information may support any single or any combination of locally or remotely alerting humans, alerting rescue units, activating countermeasures, uploading at least partially said sensor data to off-site computers, determining the cause(s) of said catastrophic event, determining liability, determining insure payments, determining insurance premiums.

The invention provides a SolarHearth, a passive solar heating system that includes a work of art that can be mounted on a building, to bring warmed air into the building. The system includes a heat exchange chamber having a display window that contains the work of art, and is is configured to create a passive solar environment to create a natural vacuum. The system further includes means for moving air through the heat exchange chamber, such as an air plenum or fans.

Provided is a solar collector that captures and utilizes solar energy and includes a plurality of vacuum tubes which are disposed by extending horizontally and are disposed parallel to each other with a predetermined distance; and a reflection plate having a substantially planar shape, which reflects solar light on an opposite side of the sun with respect to the plurality of vacuum tubes, in which the reflection plate includes a reflection surface having a serrated section at a corresponding position between vacuum tubes adjacent to each other, and in the reflection surface, one face of a serration forms a first reflection surface that reflects the solar light to the vacuum tube on a lower side among the vacuum tubes adjacent to each other.

The invention relates to a modular building structure (10) comprising: a framework (12) including a plurality of rods (14) and connectors (16) to interconnect the plurality of rods (14) together, the framework (12) comprising empty spaces bordered by corresponding rods (14) of said plurality of rods; a plurality of panels (20), wherein one panel (20) is mounted inside each empty space and connected to the framework (12) in order to create an interior (40), an air chamber layer (44) inside which air may circulate, said air chamber layer (44) forming at least a portion of an outer surface of said interior (40), at least one upper valve system (46a) mounted in the upper portion of the structure (10), and at least one lower valve system (46b) mounted in the lower portion of the structure (10). The at least one upper and lower valve systems (46a, 46b) are selectively operable to regulate the thermal conditions inside the interior (40) as a function of the meteorological conditions outside the modular building structure (10) and a desired temperature inside the interior (40). The invention also relates to a method for operating the at least one upper and lower valve systems (46a, 46b) of the modular building structure (10).

The invention relates to a double-façade arrangement (1) for a construction (70), in particular a building, a bridge support, a bridge pier or a noise barrier wall, comprising a double façade (20) for generating a vertically directed air flow (50) by means of the chimney effect. Here, the double façade (20) comprises an inner façade (21) and an outer façade (22), wherein a façade interspace (23) for guiding the air flow (50) is situated between the inner façade (21) and the outer façade (22), wherein the inner façade (21) delimits the façade interspace (23) towards the construction (70), and the outer façade (22) delimits the façade interspace (23) towards the surroundings (60) of the construction (70). Furthermore, the double façade (20) comprises an air inlet (24) to allow the air flow (50) with air from the surroundings (60) to be let into the façade interspace (23) and, arranged above the air inlet (24), an air outlet (25) to allow at least some of the air flow (50) to be let out of the façade interspace (23). Moreover, the double-façade arrangement (1) comprises a carbon dioxide separator device (2) for separating at least some of the carbon dioxide from the air of the air flow (50). Furthermore, the invention relates to a construction (70), in particular a building, a bridge support or a bridge pier having such a double-façade arrangement (1). In addition, the invention relates to the use of such a double-façade arrangement (1) or construction (70) having such a double-façade arrangement (1) for generating a vertically directed air flow (50) by means of the chimney effect and for separating carbon dioxide from the air of the air flow (50).

The invention relates to a double-façade arrangement (1) for a construction (70), in particular a building, a bridge support, a bridge pier or a noise barrier wall, comprising a double façade (20) for generating a vertically directed air flow (50) by means of the chimney effect. Here, the double façade (20) comprises an inner façade (21) and an outer façade (22), wherein a façade interspace (23) for guiding the air flow (50) is situated between the inner façade (21) and the outer façade (22), wherein the inner façade (21) delimits the façade interspace (23) towards the construction (70), and the outer façade (22) delimits the façade interspace (23) towards the surroundings (60) of the construction (70). Furthermore, the double façade (20) comprises an air inlet (24) to allow the air flow (50) with air from the surroundings (60) to be let into the façade interspace (23) and, arranged above the air inlet (24), an air outlet (25) to allow at least some of the air flow (50) to be let out of the façade interspace (23). Moreover, the double-façade arrangement (1) comprises a carbon dioxide separator device (2) for separating at least some of the carbon dioxide from the air of the air flow (50). Furthermore, the invention relates to a construction (70), in particular a building, a bridge support or a bridge pier having such a double-façade arrangement (1). In addition, the invention relates to the use of such a double-façade arrangement (1) or construction (70) having such a double-façade arrangement (1) for generating a vertically directed air flow (50) by means of the chimney effect and for separating carbon dioxide from the air of the air flow (50).

The present invention is in the field of an improved naturally ventilated façade with incorporated PV that can provide heating and ventilation and can provide electricity. Especially for buildings receiving high amounts of sunshine and in particular when such buildings need ventilation such systems can be applied advantageously.

The present invention is in the field of an improved naturally ventilated façade with incorporated PV that can provide heating and ventilation and can provide electricity. Especially for buildings receiving high amounts of sunshine and in particular when such buildings need ventilation such systems can be applied advantageously.

A device for climate control of a building (20), in which flatly formed external temperature elements (5) at least partially cover an outer side of the building (20), wherein the external temperature-control elements (5) are settable to a predefinable temperature value. Furthermore, a temperature-control element (5) and a method for climate control of a building (20) are specified.

A device for climate control of a building (20), in which flatly formed external temperature elements (5) at least partially cover an outer side of the building (20), wherein the external temperature-control elements (5) are settable to a predefinable temperature value. Furthermore, a temperature-control element (5) and a method for climate control of a building (20) are specified.