The aim of investigations was to compare different absorber material efficiency to examine collector tracking the Sun and stationary collector efficiency as well as the efficiency of insulated and non-insulated collectors. The 0.1x0.5x1.0 meter long experimental solar collectors were constructed for investigations and different types of absorber materials were made. The manifold length, the Sun radiation effect on the degree of air heating was analyzed. ASHARE used standard 93-2003 is determined for insulated and non-insulated solar collectors and absorber effectiveness. We determined the influence of the Sun radiation on the air heating degree for those types of absorbers. The experimental data were measured and recorded in the electronic equipment REG (electronic metering and recording equipment of temperature, radiation and lighting). The collector covered material was a polystyrol plate and different absorbers. We compared insulated and non-insulated collectors to prove that the insulated collector is more effective. The insulated collector was made of the collector surfaces faced with cellular plastic two cm plates. Our task was to calculate the air heating solar collector efficiency. The collector tracking the Sun is approximately 30% more efficient than the same type of stationary collectors in operation time for 6 hours. Insulation increases solar panel efficiency especially in windy weather. The insulated collector demonstrates almost two times higher efficiency than the non-insulated collectors (up to 93%) with absorbent material steel tinplate on top.

This research was carried out to start the discussion on the amount of harmful emissions that are emitted in producing building and insulation materials for roof constructions. Usually, for the improvement of energy efficiency of buildings and reduction of the embodied thermal energy, effective thermal insulation solutions for the external building envelope have to be provided. From the buildings available for the analysis, in Latvia there were selected multi-apartment buildings of separate series with a uniform composition of roof constructions. Within the context of renovation works, the reports of energy audit for the buildings contain recommendations referred to improvement of the thermal performance of roofs. Using mutually comparable energy efficiency report data, there was drawn up an averaged model of a five-storey multi-apartment residential house. There were taken into account legislative documents relating to thermal engineering of buildings: LBN 002-01 ‘Heat engineering of building boundary constructions’ and LVS EN ISO 6946: 2007 ‘Building components and building elements – Thermal resistance and thermal transmittance’, and moisture regime according to LVS EN ISO 13788: 2001 ‘Hygrothermal performance of building components and building elements – internal surface temperature to avoid critical surface humidity and interspatial condensation – calculation methods’, which states that the roof constructions should be free from possibility of water vapour condensation. In this study, there were calculated energy savings obtained by improving thermal resistance of the roof constructions and the opposite primary energy consumption for the production of building materials. As a result, there is obtained environmentally friendly roof construction.

In Latvia, use of unheated cow sheds with lowered environmental temperature is growing. In such circumstances, cooling of the milking equipment washing liquid is more rapid and quality of the washing equipment decreases. However, it may be eliminated by coating the milk and washing liquid piping with heat insulation. A mathematical model of the milking equipment washing liquid by which the end temperature of the washing liquid cooling can be determined is developed. Two types of heat insulation materials are under the trial. Laboratory experiments on cooling of the washing liquid are carried out and the experimental coefficients of the mathematical model are determined.