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.

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.

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.

A method of modulating the impact of electromagnetic irradiance on the thermal energy budget of a predominantly enclosed space includes providing at least an inner shell of the predominantly enclosed space, and placing a plurality of functional elements in an exterior position relative to an outside facing side of the inner shell. The outside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) wavelength range relative to the (MIR) wavelength range. The inside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the NIR and mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range relative to the (VIS) wavelength range. A thickness of the functional elements is equal to or smaller than a thickness of the inner shell.

A method of modulating the impact of electromagnetic irradiance on the thermal energy budget of a predominantly enclosed space, in some instances buildings, includes providing at least an inner shell and placing a plurality of functional elements in an exterior position relative to an outside facing side thereof. The outside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) wavelength range relative to the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range. The inside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the NIR and MIR wavelength range relative to the VIS wavelength range. The functional elements are least in one degree of freedom spatially adjustable. A thermal carrier medium may be present to increase thermal capacity and to permit transfer of thermal energy. A control system adjusts the spatial position of some of said functional elements and/or the distribution of the thermal carrier medium such that the thermal energy budget of the predominately enclosed space is influenced according to at least one desired target value.

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 present invention provides strategies for mitigating the deleterious effects of differential thermal expansion in composite panel structures. The principles of the present invention are particularly useful in the field of concentrating solar power. The principles of the present invention can be used in CSP applications to make composite mirror panel structures with improved characteristics for accommodating differential thermal expansion between components of the composite. Significantly, the composite mirrors structures can still be securely attached to other heliostat components such as a drive mechanism while still having the ability to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the skins of a composite mirror panel helps to limit energy losses due to slope errors.

In illustrative modes of practice, heliostat devices integrate light reflecting panels with a composite supporting structure that helps to provide the resultant assembly with structural integrity and stiffness. Light reflecting panels are coupled to the supporting, composite structure by a plurality of flexible connecting elements. Advantageously, the composite approach of the present invention effectively separates structural and thermal compensation functions. Specifically, the composite support structure helps to provide desired structural properties. In the meantime, the flexible connecting elements couple the top, light reflecting panel to the support structure in a manner that helps to isolate the top, light reflecting panel from thermal stresses that otherwise could cause undue slope errors.

A modular photovoltaic system comprises flat modules with two photovoltaic panelspreferably bifacialarranged vertically in a rectangular frame consisting of two posts and two crossbeams. One of the crossbeams supports a cable guiding device for electrically connecting an adjacent photovoltaic module. The modules also have a charging socket for electric vehicles and can be used advantageously for the construction or conversion of parking spaces for vehicles.