Abstract: A housing for a solar energy collector which is formed of one-piece wall sections having integral flashing reglets and so formed as to provide lifting surfaces for the housings, help define an alignment and securing channel on the housing, aid in positioning a transparent cover retaining cap on the walls, and provide a weatherproof housing.

Abstract: A solar energy collecting system of the liquid type where conduits in individual collectors of a system are in contact with an absorbing panel and the conduits of each panel are connected between liquid external input and exit manifolds, and where provision is made to accommodate differential expansion and contraction between piping of individual collectors and manifolds and minimize heat losses where the collector headers exit the collectors and join the external manifolds.

Abstract: An apparatus for insulating against conductive, convective, and radiant heat transmission comprises three or more mutually parallel non-transparent sheets. The sheets may be attached to a retracting device from which they can be drawn to extend in mutually parallel relation and cover a building opening such as a window or onto which they can be retracted to uncover the opening. A number of resilient spacers in the form of collapsible devices are mounted within the apparatus to separate each pair of adjacent sheets and, thus, define a dead air space therebetween.At least one of the sheets has a highly radiation reflective surface located to face on a dead air space. Importantly, the collapsible devices are designed so as not to abrade or otherwise harm the reflective surface. The combination of these dead air spaces with the highly radiation reflective sheet surfaces results in an apparatus having extremely low emissivity that effectively impedes radiant heat transfer.