July 2012: The Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has published its annual report for 2011. The report outlines the achievements of the SHC, provides highlights from a number of SHC’s tasks and features an article on “zero net energy” buildings, focused on the need for standardized definitions of the term.

The 2011 annual report highlights achievements in the areas of: solar resource knowledge management; polymeric materials for solar thermal applications; net zero energy solar buildings; and solar energy and architecture. A Chair’s report draws attention to two new initiatives: the SHC Information Centre, and the annual scientific and policy conference on solar heating and cooling. It also highlights a global statistics report, “Solar Heat Worldwide: Markets and Contribution to the Energy Supply.” The feature article offers a framework for developing a definition for “net zero energy” buildings, aimed at providing a basis for regulations and national policies. [Publication: 2011 Annual Report]