Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) have become an array of new building envelope solutions in products, materials, and colors for virtually any surface.Featuring annotated reference drawings and case studies,this guidebook prepares building professionals to implement the latest BIPV technologies to turn buildings into energy producers.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) have recently gone far beyond solar panels to an array of new building envelope solutions in products, materials, and colors for virtually any building surface. These products generate on-site renewable solar electricity, turning buildings from energy consumers to energy producers. BIPV are expected to play an indispensable role in the transition towards decarbonization and energy resilience, effectively reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Lack of knowledge and guidance on designing BIPV systems has been a barrier to widespread adoption and creative applications of these technologies.
As a remedy, this guidebook presents best-practices and decision-making processes for efficient, resilient architecture. Featuring over 50 annotated reference drawings—roofs, solar shading, rainscreens, curtain walls, double skin facades—and 30 international BIPV case studies, it provides building professionals the technical knowledge and inspiration to implement BIPV technologies in the built environment.
Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: BIPV Performance Requirements
Chapter 3: BIPV Products
Chapter 4: A Decision-Making Process for BIPV Design
Chapter 5: Design of BIPV Envelope and Case Studies
Chapter 6: Operation and maintenance of BIPV Systems
Annex I: Symbols, acronyms and abbreviations
Annex II: List of referenced standards
Nuria Martín Chivelet, Ph.D. in Physics, has developed her activity in photovoltaics at the Spanish research center CIEMAT (http://www.ciemat.es), being involved in more than 30 national and European research projects and with scientific and technical production focusing on characterisation and modeling PV and BIPV modules and systems (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4224-6618). In parallel, she has been a member of several national and international experts' committees on PV and BIPV, such as the standardisation IEC-TC82, CENELEC-CLC/TC 82, and several Tasks within the International Energy Agency PV Power Systems Program (IEA-PVPS) related to BIPV, co-leading Subtask "BIPV Guideliness".
Costa (Konstantinos) Kapsis, Ph.D. Costa Kapsis is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He is a building scientist and an architectural engineering educator working in the field of high-performance building design, with a focus on electrification of the built environment, advanced building envelope technologies, digital twins, and daylight. Costa has been involved in the design of more than 30 net-zero energy buildings. He is the co-author of several peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and international reports and standards.
Francesco Frontini, Professor graduated in construction engineering and architecture, and collaborated with engineering and architecture firms as a project manager from 2007 to 2010. In 2009 he obtained a Ph.D. developing a new multifunctional BIPV façade for solar control. He worked as a post-doc in the Solar façades group at Fraunhofer ISE (Germany), one of the world's largest research institutes. Since 2011, he has been working at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). He is a Professor of Innovative Building Technology and Sustainable Design and is responsible for the sustainability area of the Department of Architecture and Construction. His research activity has always been supported by experimental work on the design of real buildings and solar envelopes. He is a member of the standardisation bodies SIA, CENELEC and ISO. Since 2021, he has been appointed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy as Co-Manager of the IEA PVPS Task 15.
