Putting the Greenhouse to Work
28 October 2004
An Australian invented solar heater and cooler provides sustainable, clean climate control for new and existing homes by putting nature's greenhouse effect to work. The heart of the Sun Lizard, invented by Colin Gillam of Alternative Fuels and Energy, is a roof mounted box made from COLORBOND® steel.
Special low iron glass on top of the enclosure captures heat from the sun to warm air passing through angled baffles in the interior of the unit. The heated air is then pumped inside the home using solar powered fans.
The clever design is also self regulating. The less sun, the slower the fans, so cold air isn't pumped into the building when the sun goes down or it becomes too cloudy. In summer the fans run in reverse, pulling heat from the home so that cooler air can flow in.
"There are around 7.8 million dwellings in Australia," Colin Gillam said. "If all of these dwellings had a standard air conditioning unit, the environmental consequences would be severe."
Air conditioners use gases with a greenhouse impact that can be up to 3,000 times that of carbon dioxide. The Sun Lizard on the other hand, produces no greenhouse emissions and thanks to its solar operation users will also benefit from reduced energy bills for the next 20 years.
In winter the system uses hot but wasted air from near the ceiling, heats it to around 50 degrees Celsius and then returns the air to the floor level of the home. In summer the air is drawn out through the same ceiling vent, but is then pumped outside.
"We anticipate the maintenance free lifespan of the solar heater is about 15 to 20 years," Colin Gillam said.
"The fans are rated at 50,000 hours between failures, the photo-voltaic cell will function to fans for at least 20 years and the rest is COLORBOND® steel and glass which won't wear out."
The latest version of the Sun Lizard with its COLORBOND® steel enclosure offers improved aesthetics for roof installation as well as improved thermal efficiency. It also has four temperature sensors and data logging capability for householders who want to monitor its performance on a personal computer.
For more information contact:
Alternative Fuels & Energy
PO Box 276
Mt Evelyn Vic 3796
Ph: 03 9737 1566
Fax: 03 9737 1555
