Abstract: An apparatus, based on a heat pipe, is provided for heating a building having at least one enclosed space that is bounded by a wall. The apparatus includes a plurality of passive heat transfer modules distributed along a dimension of the building and a hot source. Each passive heat transfer module includes a closed volume filled with two-phrase heat transfer fluid, at least one evaporator located outside of the enclosed space, downwardly directed heaters formed from a condenser tube, and an adiabatic circuit connecting an outlet of the evaportor and an inlet of the condenser tube. The heaters are spaced from the evaporator and located inside and at a top of the enclosed space to be heated. The hot source is located outside of the enclosed space to be heated but in heat exchange relationship with the evaporator. The hot source includes a lagged duct for the flow of a gas stream at high temperature and the adiabatic circuit passes through the wall of the enclosed space to be heated.