You are here: Home / Buildings / Passive Solar Glass Roofing Tiles

Passive Solar Glass Roofing Tiles

October 25, 2010 By 9 Comments
Share
Pin It

Interested in re-roofing your house? Or building a home and wondering what roofing system to go with? Check this out… Swedish company SolTech Energy has developed some cool-looking, award-winning solar glass roofing tiles. (Note: these are not active solar tiles but a passive solar roofing option.)

The glass tiles can be installed using traditional roof tile installation methods, and the tiles have a longer life than conventional concrete or clay roofing tiles.

How does the solar glass roofing system work? Preston Koerner of Jetson Green reports: “air below the glass tile is heated by the sun and redirected for use by the central heating system. The system works with air-based and water-based heating systems, including, for example, a ground source heat pump, air heat pump, pellet boiler, oil boiler, or electric boiler.”

The system is available commercially in Sweden and Spain and SolTech Energy intends to bring it to the U.S. in 2011.

The roof system is especially helpful in snowy climates since snow easily slides down the glassy tiles. The system won the Hottest New Materials 2010 award from the North Building Fair (aka Nordbygg).

Photo Credits: SolTech Energy

Filed Under: Buildings, Clean Energy, Consumer Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
About Zachary Shahan

If you couldn't guess, I spend most of my time on CleanTechnica and Planetsave. I'm the director/editor of both sites and am a little obsessed with them and the topics they cover. I'm also Publishing Services Manager at Important Media, which means that I do everything I can to support other Important Media writers, editors, and directors (as well as the network as a whole) in the good work they are engaged in. You can also find my work on Scientific American, Reuters, Change.org, most of the sites in the Important Media network, & many other places. For more, or to connect, go to: zacharyshahan.com

  • Pingback: Solar Shingles About to Blow Up? – CleanTechnica: Cleantech innovation news and views

  • http://cleantechnica.com/author/susan Susan Kraemer

    LOve this Zach – wrote about these at the green building blog I write for – what a great product!

  • Karen

    They mention snow, but not hail or hurricanes. They would make quite a mess in hurricane force winds if they came off like other roofing material inevitably does.

    On that note, how would the insurance companies receive a claim to replace them if needed…

  • http://globalglassonion.blogspot.com/ rjs

    looks quite a bit like transparent plastic panels already in use…

  • http://www.dimensionbuildlv.com remodeling

    I’m sure they have durability built into their designs, not sure how well the look would be received here in the U.S.But this would be a good beginning if they were solar panels for power, now you’ve got something.

  • edwin

    How well will this hold up against hailstorms?

    • http://www.zacharyshahan.com Zachary Shahan

      Looks like some pretty solid glass, but good question… Not sure how often they get hailstorms in Sweden, where it was developed, but seems that they would be quite aware of that question/issue.

  • http://www.magnumroofingusa.com/ bill demeter

    GREAT PICTURES~

    • http://www.zacharyshahan.com Zachary Shahan

      I know, love those :D