Roofing member for collecting solar energy

A roofing construction for collecting solar energy comprising a multiplicity of like roofing members having externally the shape and dimensions of traditional roofing tiles, said members being assembled in traditional manner with lateral edges of laterally adjacent roofing members overlapping and with lower edges of upper roofing members overlapping upper edges of downwardly adjacent roofing members, each of said roofing members comprising a shell of opaque moldable material having a back wall and opposite side walls, a lower end wall and an upper end portion projecting forwardly from said back wall to form a frame for receiving a front wall, a transparent front wall received in said frame and sealed to said side walls, lower end wall and upper end portion, said transparent front wall being spaced forwardly from said back wall to provide therebetween a heat-carrying fluid cavity, said upper end portion extending longitudinally beyond said transparent front wall and lying under an upwardly adjacent roofing member, said upper end portion having in its back a channel to receive a roof support member and in its front side a first fluid-conducting coupling means having a passage communicating with said cavity, said back wall having in a lower end portion which overlies an upper end portion of a downwardly adjacent roofing member a second fluid-conducting coupling means communicating with said cavity and adapted to interfit with said first coupling means of said downwardly adjacent roofing member to interconnect adjacent roofing members mechanically and to interconnect fluid cavities of adjacent roofing members to provide for circulation of heat-carrying fluid from one roofing member to another.