Solarwall was created by Conserval Engineering in Toronto, Ontario and is patented throughout the world.

The panel’s use is not restricted to sunny days; it works at all hours of the day, and all seasons of the year. On cloudy days and at night it conserves energy by holding heat in the air cavity that would normally be lost through the wall. In the summer, when heating is not required, a damper opens to bypass the solar collector while still providing a continual supply of fresh air. The wall also acts as a heat shade, preventing the summer’s sun from reaching the main wall and conducting the heat indoors.

Solar heating is particularly attractive when there is snow, since snow provides a high reflective albedo quality that enhances the performance of the system by 50 to 70%. This is why Solarwall works especially well in cold and northern climates.

The all-metal design has received numerous honours and awards from the U.S. Department of Energy, Natural Resources Canada, ASHRAE, the Toronto Construction Association, Popular Science Magazine, R&D Magazine and many more.

Typical energy savings have been in the range of 2 to 4 therms per square foot of solar cladding per year, depending on fuel costs. Reducing the energy load has become an extremely important consideration for many municipalities and companies in recent years.