A roof comprises a solar radiation heat recovery device that is invisible from the outside. The roof is made up of supports receiving a heat transfer network which has a longitudinal groove designed to receive the male profile of the protrusion of the heat recovery modules. The supports comprise arms which exert a lateral pressure on the flexible network. The resilient deformation of the network permits the sliding thereof between the arms to the clamped position. The groove of the network closes around the protrusion, immobilizing the module and holding the assembly in the support fixed to the roof frame. The roof is particularly intended to recover solar radiation heat in a way that is aesthetically pleasing, economical, simple and easy to install.

A helicopter take-off and landing pad (helipad) includes a drain conduit embedded within a surface, a bed of crushed aggregate within a portion of the surface graded to be inclined toward the drain conduit, and a plurality of pavers supported by the aggregate bed and defining a substantially level top surface to serve as a landing surface for a helicopter. The plurality of pavers are permeable to liquid on the top surface to communicate the liquid to the aggregate bed. A pump connected to the drain conduit is operable to discharge liquid directed from the aggregate bed through the drain conduit to a water separator that is operable to separate water from other liquid components of the discharged liquid. At least one collection tank is fluidly connected to the water separator to receive the other liquid components discharged by the water separator.

A method for controlling a variable lane includes: acquiring first traffic data for a first driving direction corresponding to the variable lane and second traffic data for a second driving direction of a lane adjacent to the variable lane; determining a first saturation in the first driving direction based on the first traffic data and determining a second saturation in the second driving direction based on the second traffic data; determining an imbalance coefficient between the first driving direction and the second driving direction based on the first saturation and the second saturation; and controlling a driving direction of the variable lane based on the imbalance coefficient. An apparatus for controlling a variable lane and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are also provided.

Devices, systems, and methods for modifying an existing electrical circuit to enable a conventional mechanical switch to integrate with and operate smart devices, while also providing continuous power supply and cooperating with external operation of the smart devices (e.g., via a mobile device application, smart controller, etc.). The smart device thus is operable both via the physical switch and via a home automation system, without loss of power to the smart device computer and transmitter components caused by use of the wall switch. This may be done via a replacement switch or faceplate which effectively bypasses the physical switch to ensure continuous power to the smart device while also inferring and transmitting the toggle state of the switch by measuring an amount of current through the faceplate.

Building-integrated photovoltaic devices can be provided, which function as sensors, wherein the output parameters from the device are used to provide information about light intensity and ambient temperature, in addition to providing power, to an intelligent building energy management system.

A combination for plumbing fixtures, particularly tiled floors with drains, is disclosed. An exemplary combination includes a substantially planar shower tray bonding disk on a flooring substrate and surrounded by a prefabricated polymer foam shower tray on the flooring substrate and at the circumference of the bonding disk. The disk includes an interior rim that defines a drain opening and a plurality of slotted openings for permitting mortar to penetrate the disk. The drain opening in the disk can thus be positioned at a drain cut out in the flooring substrate.

Distributed maximum power point tracking systems, structures, and processes are provided for power generation structures, such as for but not limited to a solar panel arrays. In an exemplary solar panel string structure, distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) modules are provided, such as integrated into or retrofitted for each solar panel. The DMPPT modules provide panel level control for startup, operation, monitoring, and shutdown, and further provide flexible design and operation for strings of multiple panels. The strings are typically linked in parallel to a combiner box, and then toward and enhanced inverter module, which is typically connected to a power grid. Enhanced inverters are controllable either locally or remotely, wherein system status is readily determined, and operation of one or more sections of the system are readily controlled. The system provides increased operation time, and increased power production and efficiency, over a wide range of operating conditions.

Holographic concentration solar modules (1), which concentrate the solar light into photovoltaic solar cells (2), integrated into urban and street elements (3), such as street lamps, bus stops, motorway toll booths, charging facilities, advertising sites, kiosks, amongst others, are disclosed. The holographic solar concentration modules (1) carry out passive tracking and the design thereof may be adapted to any surface. The efficient capturing of solar light in any position is guaranteed with the design versatility of the hologram included in the solar module (1). Therefore, in the present invention, in each one of the applications, a constructive element is substituted by a holographic solar concentration module (1). For example, it forms the support of a solar street lamp, the cover of a bus stop or of a toll booth, or the structure of an advertising site, amongst others. The solar module (1) constitutes in this way photovoltaic integration (BIPV) into urban and street elements. The urban and street element can be autonomous or connected to the network, in this last case, wherein it can form part of an intelligent network.

The present disclosure is directed to energy storage and supply management system. The system may include one or more of a control unit, which is in communication with the power grid, and an energy storage unit that stores power for use at a later time. The system may be used with traditional utility provided power as well as locally generated solar, wind, and any other types of power generation technology. In some embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are housed in the same chassis. In other embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are separate. In another embodiment, the energy storage unit is integrated into the chassis of an appliance itself.

An Urban Intermodal Freight System is capable of transporting large volumes and tonnage of freight by containerized or other means on a mass transit rail system. It captures excess capacity in the existing mass transit rail infrastructure to move packages, parcels, and freight by using miniaturized intermodal cargo containers that are designed to integrate seamlessly with the existing transit infrastructure, while displacing delivery trucks from increasingly crowded city streets. By enabling inbound trucks to transfer their cargo to the Urban Intermodal Freight System at a city's outskirts, freight is delivered without trucks entering congested downtown areas, greatly alleviating traffic congestion, delays, greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental impacts. The Linear Loading Dock and Conveyor System may have other useful applications, for example to access a facility, building or vehicle, or in other circumstances where off street truck parking or loading docks are not available.