1979年,七十余个国家的二千多名太阳能科学家、建筑师、经济专家在美国亚特兰大召开了国际太阳能协会的年会。与会者普遍认为,利用太阳能是解决能源供应紧张的出路之一。欧洲经济共同体执委会拨款400万美元建造利用太阳能的住房、农业建筑物和学校等。美国政府设立了一个资金为4.5亿美元的太阳能发展银行,以资助私人企业加快发展太阳能利用,大量兴建太阳能房屋。目前,世界各地修建的利用太阳能的建筑物日益增多,使用技术和材料也在不断发展。澳大利亚北部地区新建的政府办公大楼,几乎都用太阳能取暖和供水。阿根廷兴建了三家太阳能热水厂。美国得克萨斯州在达拉斯市郊建造了高61米、直径15米 In 1979, more than 2,000 solar energy scientists, architects, and economic experts from more than 70 countries held an annual meeting of the International Solar Energy Association in Atlanta, United States. Participants generally believe that the use of solar energy is one of the solutions to the shortage of energy supply. The Executive Committee of the European Economic Community allocated US$4 million to build solar-powered housing, agricultural buildings and schools. The U.S. government has established a solar energy development bank with a capital of 450 million U.S. dollars to help private companies accelerate the development of solar energy utilization and build large-scale solar energy houses. At present, there are more and more buildings built around the world that use solar energy, and the use of technologies and materials is also constantly evolving. Almost all of the new government office buildings in northern Australia are heated and supplied with solar energy. Argentina has built three solar hot water plants. Texas, USA, built 61 meters high and 15 meters in diameter on the outskirts of Dallas