Which type of equipment is specifically designed to use solar energy for heat production?

Solar thermal equipment is specifically designed to harness solar energy to produce heat. This technology collects sunlight, often through solar panels, and converts it into thermal energy, which can then be used for heating water or spaces in commercial and residential applications. The process typically involves solar collectors that absorb solar radiation and transfer that energy to a fluid, which can then be used for heating purposes.

Other options do not serve the purpose of converting solar energy into heat. Plastic fire sprinkler piping is primarily a water distribution system meant for fire safety, and it does not involve solar energy. A subslab soil exhaust system is associated with managing air quality and preventing harmful gases from accumulating beneath a structure rather than generating heat. Combustion air openings are designed to allow fresh air into a space for combustion processes, facilitating efficient operation of gas-fueled appliances but are not related to solar energy utilization. Hence, the answer highlighting solar thermal equipment is the only one that accurately describes a technology explicitly intended for heat production using solar energy.