Beijing Olympics sport innovative Canadian building system

An innovative Canadian renewable energy technology was used on one of the buildings in the Athletes Village in Beijing. <br>
The SolarWall thermal system has been around for more than a decade, but the latest development is a hybrid system. It combines thermal air heating using a metal cladding wall system, with photovoltaics to produce electricity.<br>
The hybrid system was installed on the roof of a health care clinic for the athletes. By generating both electricity and heat energy from the same surface area, the system generates 200-300% more energy than a conventional PV system. <br>
As an added benefit the SolarWall panels also cool the PV modules by removing the heat and channelling it into the facility’s traditional heating system. <br>
Conserval Engineering based in Toronto worked in partnership with Natural Resources Canada and the Olympic Village developer to design and implement the technology, which is still in the demonstration stage. <br>
During the Olympic Games, the US Green Building Council announced that the Athletes Village had won the first LEED Gold Certification under its pilot LEED for Neighbourhood Developments certification program.<br>