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The rooftop is a default location for photovoltaic solar panels and is often not enough to offset increasing building energy consumption. The vertical surface of urban buildings offers a prime location to harness solar energy. The overall goal of this research is to evaluate power production potentials and multi-functionalities of a 3D building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facade system. The traditional BIPV which is laminated with window glass obscures the view-out and limits daylight penetration. Unlike the traditional system, the 3D solar module was configured to reflect the sun path geometry to maximize year-round solar exposure and energy production. In addition, the 3D BIPV façade offers multiple functionalities – solar regulations, daylighting penetration, and view-out, resulting in energy savings from heating, cooling, and artificial lighting load. Its ability to produce solar energy offsets building energy consumption and contributes to net-zero-energy buildings. Both solar simulations and physical prototyping were carried out to investigate the promises and challenges of the 3D BIPV façade system compared to a traditional BIPV system. With climate emergency on the rise and the need for clean, sustainable energy becoming ever more pressing, the 3D BIPV façade in this paper offers a creative approach to tackling the problems of power production, building energy savings, and user health and wellbeing.
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Toward Net-Zero Energy Retrofitting: Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Curtainwalls
With the rapid urbanization and growing energy use intensity in the built environment, the glazed curtainwall has become ever more important in the architectural practice and environmental stewardship. Besides its energy efficiency roles, window has been an important transparent component for daylight penetration and a view-out for occupant satisfaction. In response to the climate crisis caused by the built environment, this research focuses on the study of net-zero energy retrofitting by using a new building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) curtainwall as a sustainable alternative to conventional window systems. Design variables such as building orientations, climate zones, energy attributes of BIPV curtainwalls, and glazed area were studied, to minimize energy consumption and discomfort hours for three cities representing hot (Miami, FL), mixed (Charlotte, NC), and cold (Minneapolis, MN). Parametric analysis and Pareto solutions are presented to provide a comprehensive explanation of the correlation between design variables and performance objectives for net-zero energy retrofitting applications.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2037631
- PAR ID:
- 10311999
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International journal of highrise buildings
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2288-9930
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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