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According to Enerconcept Technologies Inc., the new Luba™ GL is the world's most efficient, inexpensive and lightweight rooftop solar hot-air collector for supplemental outside air heating in commercial, institutional and industrial facilities. According to the company, the technology also boasts:
- A maximum thermal output of 247-BTU/h/ft2 (780-watts/m2) and airflow of 6 to 12-cfm per 112 (L) by 36 (H) by 8 (D)-inch collector.
- A world-leading 1.06 performance rating that is 25-percent more efficient than the closest competitor, according to the third-party rating agency, Canadian Standards Association-International (CSA).
- A lightweight twin-wall, 1/4-inch-thick polycarbonate glazing and 26.4-square-foot black aluminum backpanel.
- The modular Luba GL is installed in series and connects directly to a manifold that feeds a bypass/mixing box for the building's HVAC system and can provide up to 15 to 30 percent of outside air heating requirements depending on geography and weather.
- Payback can range from one to several years depending on geographical location, climate conditions, heating application, government tax advantages, utility incentives and other factors.
- The collector is an efficient alternative to Enerconcept's wall-mounted solar hot air products, the Lubi™ and the Unitair™, in applications where a rooftop system can provide better aesthetics or needs an optimum sun angle for maximum efficiency.
- Additional features include: a 98-pound net weight that's easily handled by two workers, a five-year warranty (expected lifecycles are 20 years or more before panel replacement is needed); rack mounts can be custom-designed to fit any pitch degree specification; and they are weather-resistant and protected from UV deterioration.