Perforated air collectors
The Illustrated Guide to Renewable Technologies BG 1/2008, By Kevin Pennycook, published by BSRIA in March 2008, states: ‘Commercially available under the trade name SolarWallTM this type of collector comprises a dark steel or aluminium profile that is perforated to allow air to pass into a cavity that collects the heated air. As the air passes through the perforated wall it absorbs the wall’s warmth. The warm air rises within the cavity and is extracted at the top and supplied to the building using a fan. During summer the heated air is exhausted away from the building and outside air is supplied to the building to meet the ventilation requirement. The solar air cavity increases the U-value while the perforated wall acts to shield the building from the direct sunlight during the summer, lowering the solar heat transmission inside the building.’
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.




















