VOL. 11, NO. 3, FEBRUARY 2016 ISSN 1819-6608 ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences © 2006-2016 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved. www.arpnjournals.com 1698 ACTIVATE APPLICATION OF SOLAR WATER HEATING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS - CAIRO-EGYPT Farrag, Nermin Mokhtar - Elalfy and Ayman Mahmoud Civil and Architectural Engineering Division, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt ABSTRACT Solar thermal has been proposed as a solution to lower the dependency on fossil fuel sources. The solar atlas issued in 1991, indicates that Egypt is on the Sun Belt countries. Solar water heaters can be a cost-effective way to provide hot water in the homes. It is possible to make full use of external parts of the solar energy that building can use, and to realize external harmony of landscape building. A field study showing the current use situation of solar water heaters based on previous application programs that applied the use of solar water heaters for residential blocks of flats build by Egyptian government during the late 70 th and early 80s. The research proposed Participation and Funding Management for future residential projects in Cairo, goal ling to achieve sustainable urban development and Streamline overlaps and interconnections between various parties involved in the project. The research is an attempt to maximize the use of solar energy as a non-conventional energy resource for residential buildings in the field of solar water heating in Cairo, Egypt. Keywords: solar energy, solar water heating, non-conventional energy, residential buildings, Cairo- Egypt. Abbreviations SWH: Solar water heaters 1. INTRODUCTION Energy gives a vital contribution in development of human life. Energy resources are naturally available in various forms and are utilized by human being since ancient times. Energy needs increases with development, and with ever growing population. Industrial revolution results in many revolutionary changes in technology. The demand of energy sources like oil and coal increased dramatically during last decade, Their primary resource is fossil fuel which is of exhaustible nature and going to deplete one day causing despite its burning causes global environmental damages like greenhouse effect, water and air pollution etc... The extreme use such fossil depending resources leads to its un-availability for future generations. The international trend is increasing towards replacing the fossil fuel as a primary source for energy by non- conventional resources such as wind, sun, water, biomass etc. which are more environment-friendly and sustainable (renewable). Solar thermal has been proposed as a solution to lower the dependency on fossil fuel sources, (Solar Thermal Application in Egypt, and others, 2009). The solar atlas issued in 1991, indicates that Egypt as on of the Sun Belt countries, Figure- 1 and 2), is endowed with high intensity of direct solar radiation ranging between 2000 - 3200 kWh/m2/year from north to south,(Energy Research Center, 2006). The sunshine duration ranges between 9- 11 hours with few cloudy days all over the year, Table-1, (S. M. Robaa, 2006). Despite the excellent conditions, Egypt is still considered as a pre- matured market for solar thermal applications either for power generation or heating processes. However, RE has got more political attention recently, and a strategic decision has been taken by the government having the target to supply 20% of the electricity in 2020 from renewable energy sources, (ERC, 2006). Figure-1. Solar energy potentials in Egypt .Source: ERC, 2006, P 31. Figure-2. Solar-Radiation - Egypt’s Abundant Energy Resource. Source: WernerB. Koldehoff, 2012.