How to Install Inconspicuous Thermal Solar Panels in Just a Few Hours

Written by ArchDaily Team | Translated by José Tomás Franco
Published on August 22, 2017

When it comes to increasing the energy efficiency of a project, solar panels provide many benefits, but architects often avoid using them for aesthetic reasons.

Today there are alternative solutions for adding solar receptors to the individual elements that make up the roof—the zone of greatest exposure to sunlight—that are less conspicuous and very effective in terms of energy production. One such example is solar thermal panels, which use the power of the sun to heat the building, produce hot water or generate heat for pools.

These new panels are made from natural slate stone, in formats ranging from 32x22 cm to 50x25 cm. The material elements not only ensure thermal inertia and impermeability, but are also able to heat up to 50 liters of water per day per square meter of surface -- all while avoiding the average emission of 90 kg of CO2.