Solar Energy Technologies in Cultural Heritage

Solar Energy Technologies in Cultural Heritage offers a complete overview of the solar renewable energy possibilities, developments, innovations, and challenges for cultural heritage applications, bridging the traditional boundary between research, professional practices, and policies, and between arts, architecture, engineering, and social science. Conservation of heritage buildings, particularly in urban settings, has evolved from purely physical preservation to making them functionally relevant for the modern day through redevelopment and repurposing. This opens the opportunity for the integration of active solar energy systems in buildings, towns, and landscapes. This book presents international contributions on the integration of solar renewable energies within cultural heritage, providing detailed coverage of the cultural, legislative, and social framework, design criteria and simulation tools, and innovative materials and technologies, and addressing key challenges. This is an essential resource for all those with an interest in solar energy technologies for built environment and particularly cultural heritage, including researchers, scientists, and graduate students, engineers, designers, developers, and policy makers. Presents current knowledge and innovative technologies for the integration of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems in cultural heritageIllustrates approaches and solutions for solving the complex cost-benefit balance between conservation and energy productionIncludes contributions from major experts and scientists in the field, supported by real experience and practical examples