Bangor-based Thermomax is providing The Pentagon in Washington DC with the largest thermal collection system of its type in North America. In addition to supplying solar heat collection panels to the Pentagon, one of the most prestigious and sensitive buildings in the world, Thermomax has won a contract from NASA, the US Space Agency, for its award winning products.

The two contracts enhance the position of Thermomax as a global leader in the development of solar heating systems for cost-efficient water heating and will provide the Northern Ireland company with showpiece installations in the vast US market.

The contracts, won after extensive evaluation by both customers, establish Thermomax as a key supplier to US government buildings, which are increasingly implementing 'green' technologies in line with federal and state requirements for greater energy conservation.

The Pentagon selected Thermomax's Maryland-based distributor, Thermo Technologies, to provide the thermal collectors after an exacting evaluation over three years.

Design and integration of Thermomax vacuum solar collectors into the Pentagon's domestic hot water energy supply system is the result of several years of teamwork between the Pentagon's energy managers, building maintenance staff and technical experts from Thermo Technologies, which will monitor the systems' performance for a period of two years from commissioning date.

Thermomax solar panels have also recently been installed in the NASA Energy Office at the Kennedy Space Station in Florida to provide hot water for heat exchangers used to maintain the required air temperature.

Technicians from Thermo Technologies also worked with NASA engineers in the design and installation of the solar collectors.

Kathy McVeigh, Thermomax Commercial Manager, said: "The orders are a marvellous endorsement of the quality, reliability and efficiency of our products. They were secured after the most rigorous testing and in the face of intense competition, in particular from US companies.

"Winning such significant business from influential customers like Pentagon and NASA positions us to bid for further work from the federal government and state authorities as they seek to source and apply the latest energy saving technology." she added.