Solar energy utilisation and energy conservation in buildings

Full text: The paper involves testing and improving the performance of solar water heaters under all possible local solar and weather conditions. A new design of stratified energy storage tanks have been experimentally and theoretically studied by which an improvement of about 15% in system efficiency has been observed over well-mixed tanks. Solar space heating and cooling using absorption systems has also been investigated where both performance and economical return are assessed for local lebanese conditions. Several projects are ongoing related to solar energy utilisation including the use of heat pipes, experimental studies for new means for energy conversion. The paper presents the design and testing of solar water heaters; modeling and simulation of solar-powered air-conditioning absorption system performance in Beirut and energy conservation in Lebanese residential and office buildings and the code-of-practice