Energy　consumption　for　heating　and　cooling　fresh　air　has　become　a　major　component　of　building　energy　consumption,　and　there　is　a　growing　focus　on　highly-efficient　and　energy-conserving　fresh-air　treatment　technology.　This　paper　presents　a　new　fresh-air　system　based　on　a　high-efficiency　heat　transfer　element,　the　micro　heat　pipe　array　(MHPA).　It　consists　of　a　novel　air-cooled　building　attached　to　a　photovoltaic/thermal　module　(MHPA-BAPVT)　and　a　thermoelectric　heat　recovery　unit　(MHPA-TEHR).　The　system　uses　solar　energy,　photovoltaic　power　generation,　and　waste　heat　for　fresh　air　preheating.　A　series　of　fresh-air　systems　were　designed,　constructed,　tested,　and　analyzed.　The　results　reveal　that　on　sunny　winter　days,　the　temperature　of　fresh　air　flowing　through　MHPA-BAPVT　modules　can　increase　by　22.15　°C.　The　average　thermal　and　electric　efficiency　of　the　MHPA-BAPVT　modules　was　12.16%　and　7.10%,　respectively,　and　MHPA-TEHR　could　exceed　the　upper　limit　of　passive　heat　recovery　technology,　which　could　generate　1.25　kW　of　heat　per　1　kW　of　input　electric　power.　The　maximum　ratio　of　total　heating　power　to　the　total　power　consumption　of　the　fresh-air　system　reached　14.94.　During　a　typical　day　in　the　winter　season,　solar　preheating　exceeded　the　fresh　air　heat　requirement　by　24.34%,　and　the　excess　heat　provided　292.92　MJ　for　building　heating　demand.　Comparing　the　electric　heating　fresh-air　unit　with　conventional　heat　recovery,　the　former　achieved　nearly　zero　energy　consumption　during　the　winter　season.　During　the　transitional　season,　the　system　could　provide　711.82　MJ　of　solar　energy,　which　improved　the　indoor　temperature.　Finally,　using　the　experimental　data　and　meteorological　parameters　of　Zibo,　the　annual　heat　and　electricity　benefits　and　reduced　carbon　dioxide　emissions　of　the　fresh-air　system　were　calculated.　The　fresh-air　system　in　this　study　can　fully　utilize　solar　energy　for　heat　collection　and　power　generation　to　reduce　building　energy　consumption　and　can　be　applied　widely.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd