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On 28 and 29 October 2024, modern facade architecture will be on the agenda at the Kursaal in Bern. The speakers at Advanced Building Skins will also be taking a closer look at solar facades.
How can balconies be used to generate energy? Balco Balkonkonstruktionen GmbH provides a smart solution to this question. The company offers systems in which photovoltaic modules for power generation are integrated into the parapet - a climate-friendly solution that is particularly in demand in the field of multi-storey residential construction.
In line with our focus topic of this week – BIPV – here are some impressions from the past three days at The smarter E Europe 2024 in Munich, Germany. Solar facades and the integration of PV into the building envelope are a growing market segment. And this year‘s trade fair reflected that. Here are some first impressions:
Together with project partners, the Fraunhofer ISE are developing a system that is intended to simplify the use of facades for photovoltaics. Part of the solution will also be published as a VDI guideline.
ML System supplies photovoltaic glass to the prestigious 20-storey Artery business centre, located in Vilnius, designed by the world-famous architect Daniel Libeskind.
Building-integrated PV modules are interesting alternatives to standard facade elements. Experience shows that such PV elements are only accepted by building owners and planners if they are visually appealing. The new ColorQuant glass colours were specifically developed to give PV elements a colourful appearance. Holger Geisler, Managing Director at Ceramic Colors Wolbring GmbH, explains the details.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) offers great opportunities for the glass industry - here is a German perspective from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), beginning with a general introduction:
Our man Matthias Rehberger attended the Schüco Metal Construction Days 2024 in Bielefeld. Gathered there were 1200 participants to explore cutting-edge technologies like AI, smart buildings and facade-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Key highlights included the introduction of Schüco Carbon Control for CO2 minimization and a compelling keynote on the transformative power of artificial intelligence. Dive into the future of metal construction with Schüco's innovative solutions.
MO Energy Systems from Austria has developed a modular standard solution for solar facades. The scalable solution is suitable for existing and new buildings. It can be connected to concrete as well as brick and timber facades.
This new office building in Stuttgart, Germany, known as OWP 12 referring to its address, was created using the newest planning and building methods in accordance with the Cradle to Cradle principle and it shows what energy-plus architecture can do today thanks to the slimline, high performance facade with BIPV.
As of now, Glass for Europe is a member of the European Solar PV Industry Alliance. Its activities aim to increase the production of solar modules and value chain components in Europe.
Asca will be exhibiting its solutions for integrating photovoltaics into the building envelope (BIPV) at the BAU trade fair in Munich from 17 to 22 April. These give architects a lot of freedom in design and thus allow new application possibilities.
The facade of the new building of the Gronau municipal utility in Münsterland will generate solar electricity in the future. The transparent solar modules custom-made by ASCA (Armor Group, manufacturer of organic photovoltaics - OPV) are very large and were integrated into facade glass by BGT Bischoff Glastechnik.
At the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao on 24 November, the customisable system for PV facades from Envelon received the Product Design of the Year award at the prestigious 2022 Architecture MasterPrize. Envelon is a subsidiary of the Grenzebach Group.
Saint-Gobain extends its range of sustainable solutions for facades in Europe by investing in building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).
A futuristic building has been erected in Basel whose facade is surrounded by organic solar foils. They provide the energy for art animations, among other things, with which the facade is illuminated after sunset.
Pilkington offer a new BIPV glass that allows the generation of solar electricity from glass facades. Find out here how that works and why it can be beneficial:
Despite all the technical and aesthetic advances already described, barriers exist that prevent BIPV from becoming a mass product. These and the normative framework conditions are explained below:
A BIPV system consists of modules, inverters, cables, possibly power optimisers and the constructive integration of the modules into the building envelope. Considerable progress has been made in all areas over the past few years.
PU foam mistakes to avoid, R+T 2022 postponed again, water-based wood primer and a series with Fraunhofer ISE on building-integrated PV. These are our top stories of the week:
Organic solar facade elements, a warm edge building in Dubai, A window system that automatically lets in fresh air and an award-winning spacer manufacturer. Here are our top stories of the week:
Manufacturer Armor Solar from Kitzingen in Bavaria has developed a new technology with which organic solar cells (OPV) can be integrated quickly, easily and flexibly into any glass format and facade.
The Bucky Lab is a programme by Deflt University of Technology for Master degree facade students. In 2020, the programme was entirely dedicated to BIPV.
A redesigned hotel exterior, a colourful glass sculpture, architectural glass produced with hydrogen and a provider of BIPV solutions given a new lease of life. Here is the week in review:
Soltech, a company that had specialised in tailor-made building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), collapsed in March 2021. Now AGC Glass Europe is joining other investors to restart Soltech.
