Meeting building heating requirements with solar energy using smart booster fans**

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Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) accounts for ~ 50% of the energy consumed in buildings in Canada, and most of this energy is used for space heating. The objective of this project is to maximize solar energy utilization in buildings to offset their heating load to the greatest extent possible. As described subsequently, this objective will be achieved using Trombe-Michel walls integrated with Smart Booster Fans.****A Trombe-Michel wall absorbs solar irradiation and heats up air in an adjacent ventilation channel. Cold air is drawn in at the bottom of the ventilation channel and released to the interior of a building at the top of the ventilation channel. Furthermore, thermal energy storage materials can be integrated into a Trombe-Michel wall to regulate and prolong the amount of time that the Trombe-Michel wall can provide heat to the ventilation channel. ****In this project Smart Booster Fans will be integrated into the ventilation channel of Trombe-Michel walls in order to deliver heat to the interior of buildings when it is needed the most. Smart Booster Fans, which operate quietly on low power, are equipped with temperature sensors and communicate with the central HVAC system within a home to provide ventilation and heating or cooling. ****The development of the Trombe-Michel walls integrated with Smart Booster Fans that optimally deliver solar thermal energy to the interior of a building will ultimately create jobs in the manufacturing and construction industries. Furthermore, the product proposed herein will provide environmental benefits to Canada, as maximizing solar energy usage in buildings will reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. **