Facades
Increasing requirements regarding energy efficiency in buildings results in a growth of PV applications in the façade segment. PV acts as a substitute for traditional materials in most common façade systems (e.g. cold façade or curtain walls), both opaque or transparent. Moreover, in transparent façades PV has a key role with respect to the comfort of the indoor microclimate (for reducing overheating in summer and allowing solar gains in winter). Besides it enhances the comfort due to an increase of natural lighting.
Façade PV can be integrated into the sides of buildings, replacing traditional glass windows with semi-transparent thin-film or crystalline (coloured) solar panels. These surfaces have less access to direct sunlight than rooftop systems, but typically offer a larger available area. In retrofit applications, PV panels can also be used to camouflage unattractive or degraded building exteriors.
The market demand for PV façades is strongly increasing due to the fact that real estate owners have found out their building value and rental fees increase if it is a green building, better if proven by BREEAM and LEED certificates. In the time-frame 2018-2021 the nearly zero energy buildings directives will come into place, in 2018 for governmental buildings and in 2021 for all other buildings.
Curtain Wall
- Transparent Glass
- Translucent Panels
- Double Glass Panels
- Opaque Coloured Panels (laminated, ceramic)
- Design Panels
- PV Coloured Panels
PV Ventilated Façade
- Transparent Glass
- Translucent Panels
- Double Glass Panels
- Opaque Coloured Panels (laminated)
- PV Black Invisible Panels
