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Invisible Heating Systems of Scotland installs pipes in the asphalt of their new parking lot.

Page featuring the general concept of pumping water through pipes in pavement to use the black-body absorption of the asphalt to collect solar heat and transmit it to the water. There will be some heat from tire wear as well, in road paradigms.

About

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How it Works

The principle is the reverse of under-floor heating. Instead of pumping hot water into a floor, the floor (or road, to be precise) heats the water. Special pipes are laid on top of a grid frame, under the tarmac or asphalt, or whatever it is called in your neck of the woods. Sunlight is absorbed by the wide, black road surface, which boosts the temperature of the water just beneath. This turns roads into massive solar hot water heaters.

History

The idea originated in the Netherlands, where it has been used in flyovers and airports to provide hot water for housing.

Inventor: Henk Verweijmeren

Founded Invisible Heating Systems in 1995.

Companies

Invisible Heating Systems, Scotland

• http://www.invisibleheating.co.uk

Recently laid down a Road Energy System in the carpark of their new offices. (June, 2006)

In the News

• Siphoning Heat from Asphalt (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/dutch_company_asphalt_heat.php) - Ooms Avenhorn Holding (http://www.ooms.nl/english/), a Dutch civil engineering company, developed Road Energy Systems (http://www.roadenergysystems.nl/); a technology that siphons heat from roads and parking lots to heat offices and homes. The system can also pump cold water from a reservoir to cool buildings in the summer. The energy required is only about half of what would otherwise be needed. (TreeHugger; Jan. 3, 2008)

• Sheepish observation put businessman on road to hot invention (http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/64576.html) - A DUTCH businessman on holiday in the Highlands noticed how sheep liked to lie on roads warmed by the day's sunshine. From that simple observation 15 years ago, a heating system has been developed that allows car parks and roads to act as solar panels, storing energy in aquifers – layers of water-bearing permeable rock. (The Herald.co.uk; June 22 2006)

See also

• Directory:Solar

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