An eco-smart panel is described comprising a solar thermal panel, a phase change material, a metal foil layer, and a structural frame constructed of materials including wood studs, gypsum, or fiberglass-reinforced concrete. The materials may be variously configured to create modular systems for fabricating buildings or structures. Eco-smart panels may be utilized to create buildings or structure with enhanced energy efficiency, increased fire resistance, increased flood resistance, and decreased construction cost and time.

Disclosed is a building envelope, in particular a building wall, floor, or roof, having at least two spaced-apart shells that enclose an intermediate space there between, the intermediate space being essentially empty except for weight-bearing and/or construction engineering elements or being filled in at least some sections with porous, open-cell material and being sealed from the exterior and interior of the building. A plurality of heat pipes which are connected to a heat collector on the shell facing the exterior and which end in the intermediate space is arranged in the intermediate space.

Disclosed is a building envelope, in particular a building wall, floor, or roof, having at least two spaced-apart shells that enclose an intermediate space there between, the intermediate space being essentially empty except for weight-bearing and/or construction engineering elements or being filled in at least some sections with porous, open-cell material and being sealed from the exterior and interior of the building. A plurality of heat pipes which are connected to a heat collector on the shell facing the exterior and which end in the intermediate space is arranged in the intermediate space.

Embodiments herein provide a solar appliance. The solar appliance comprises an outer shell and an inner shell having at least one platform for placing one or more containers. Each of the inner shell and the outer shell are made of a preselected material. The inner shell is configured for receiving the sunlight for heating content inside the one or more containers. The solar appliance further comprises a gap provision provided between the outer shell and the inner shell for allowing a circulation of a medium. The medium insulates the inner shell and conserves the heat inside the inner shell.

Packaging with a safety opening, for containing products with restricted access. The packaging comprises an outer casing (4) with an outer body (5) equipped with a front portion with a front opening (6), a container (1) with a container body (3) with a front portion and which is intended to contain a product (2), the container (1) being slidable within the housing (4) through the opening (6) and at least one elongated protrusion (7) protruding from the container body (3) in the front portion of the container body (3). The casing (4) comprises, in correspondence with each protrusion (7), a recess (8) in the front portion of the outer body (5) in order to house the corresponding protrusion (7). In the closed position, each protrusion (7) does not protrude from the recess (8) thereof or from the outer body (5).

A method for improving the efficiency of a solar heating system based on absorbing heat from solar radiation through the surface of an exposed tube to a liquid. The heat transfer device makes use of this fluid to transfer heat from the outside of the wall to the inside of the wall. The inside wall is then used to heat air that is passed over it, and that air is then used to heat up a heat storage system.

A method for improving the efficiency of a solar heating system based on absorbing heat from solar radiation through the surface of an exposed tube to a liquid. The heat transfer device makes use of this fluid to transfer heat from the outside of the wall to the inside of the wall. The inside wall is then used to heat air that is passed over it, and that air is then used to heat up a heat storage system.

The present invention relates to a composite material suitable for the conversion of solar radiation to heat. The composite material comprises a carrier (1) which is provided on at least one side thereof with a multilayer system comprising at least five layers, an adhesion layer (2), a protection layer (3), a first absorber layer (4), a second absorber layer and an antireflection and protection layer (6). The present invention further relates to a selective solar radiation absorbent wall panel or roof panel, a solar facade or solar roof comprising the solar radiation absorbent wall panel or roof panel, and to a method for heating and/or ventilating buildings.

The present invention relates to a composite material suitable for the conversion of solar radiation to heat. The composite material comprises a carrier (1) which is provided on at least one side thereof with a multilayer system comprising at least five layers, an adhesion layer (2), a protection layer (3), a first absorber layer (4), a second absorber layer and an antireflection and protection layer (6). The present invention further relates to a selective solar radiation absorbent wall panel or roof panel, a solar facade or solar roof comprising the solar radiation absorbent wall panel or roof panel, and to a method for heating and/or ventilating buildings.

Methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces to enable the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems. The methods may be 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 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. In some instances the invention reduces the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.