What is BIPV?

Commonly known, solar is mounted on a building’s rooftop, referred to as building-applied photovoltaics (BAPV). But more architects are learning how to also incorporate solar cells and modules into other building envelopes like skylights, curtain walls, roof tiles, and facades known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

A BIPV system consists of solar cells or modules that are integrated into building elements or material as part of the building structure. This way, they replace the conventional building element, rather than attaching to one. BIPV modules not only generate electricity, but they can also provide added functionality to the building. For example, they can provide sun protection, thermal insulation, noise protection, and safety.

Where can BIPV be installed?

BIPV provides several benefits when compared to traditional solar panels. First, there are more available surfaces for integrating the solar cells or modules — BIPV is not limited to roof integration. Solar modules can also be integrated into the building’s facade, skylights, railings, canopies and more. BIPV also adds to the aesthetics of the building. For example, the materials used for BIPV allow architects to play around with transparency, size, and color. When integrated in ventilated facades, semi-transparent skylights or windows, BIPV can help keep the building cool.

We at Solstice Solar provide transparent, semi-transparent, translucent and tinted photovoltaic glass, making building integrated photovoltaic modules even more architecturally attractive.

What technologies are involved with BIPV?

Concerning the aesthetics of the building, a PV module should have a homogeneous appearance and either blend subordinately into the overall design or dominantly shape it. The appearance of the PV module is determined essentially by the type of technology used in the PV cells and by the design possibilities offered by the selection of materials used in the module.

The main solar cell technologies for BIPV are crystalline silicon (c-Si) and thin-film solar cells. Thick c-Si wafer with square form (or other shapes) are arrange inside a double/triple laminated float or tempered glass. The light transmittance degree of c-Si glass can be arranged by spreading out the c-Si wafers more, or less.

Whereas thin-film solar cells are manufactured by depositing thin layers of compound semiconductor materials onto a glass (or other material) substrate. Thin-film solar cells offer a perfect combination of aesthetics and functionality. It can be customized in terms of shape, color, size, thickness, and semi-transparency degrees and also performing better response under indirect and diffuse light conditions.

What is the outlook for the BIPV?

Architects are starting to use BIPV elements more frequently in the design of new public and office buildings. New net-zero energy buildings will help drive BIPV demand. We no longer see the difference between conventional building envelope and a BIPV building envelope, both in terms of aesthetics and construction outcome.

Using conventional PV panels, multi-story buildings (such as high-rise buildings) simply do not have enough roof area to meet the energy performance requirements. This leads the building designer naturally to the use of the facade for applying BIPV, which is a central part of the architectural concept.