Description:

LBJ Apartments is a 180-unit senior housing development for elderly and/or disabled residents living in the historic Cambridge port neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts, overlooking the Charles River and Boston skyline. The twelve-story cast-concrete building opened in 1973 and has received limited improvements since. The 2250 sf solar air heating system custom-designed for LBJ Apartments by Matrix Energy is delivering 10,000 CFM of fresh, preheated air and will produce approximately 300 million BTUs of solar heating during each heating season, cutting annual natural gas consumption by more than 100,000 kWh to provide more than $5,000 in annual savings - while providing an annual 18-ton reduction in CO2 emissions.

Other Benefits:

Air filtration. Studies of unglazed transpired collectors such as this MatrixAir collector show airborne particulate of the incoming fresh air is reduced by 50% when the system is operating.

Maintenance Requirements:

VIrtually none.

My Motivation:

Recladding of the facade was required; reduced energy consumption and increased fresh air were needed.

Advice:

Consider a transpired solar air heating system any time extensive building facade renovations are taking place or a new building is being constructed.

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