Glasgow based design agency Filament have developed a flat-pack, modular solar thermal collector to make hot water more accessible in under-resourced communities. Titled the Solaris Kit, the flat-pack system can be transported efficiently, assembled with basic tools and installed on rooftops or open ground. Once installed, the prism shaped device quietly converts solar energy into hot water without the need to burn fossil fuels. The SolarisKit allows communal access to hotwater. The kit has been prototyped for conditions including dust, wind, UV exposure and rough handling, and its applications has been tested through use in rural clinics in Rwanda.
Its low-profile form is intended to sit comfortably within its architectural context, while its flat-pack construction enables communities to participate in installation and maintenance. Solaris Kit’s ambition is to make sustainable technology more meaningful through environmentally responsible design that responds to the realities of the people who use, install and maintain it. By turning solar thermal technology into a modular, repairable and locally manageable system, the project turns solar thermal collectors into community infrastructure.
