Coloured and patterned solar building skin

Project lead

Rebecca Yang   

Summary

Building Integrated Photovoltaics for Creative and Sustainable Urban Design.

With technological advancements, the characteristics of conventional Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) modules have been modified in color and appearance which has opened up a whole new avenue in creative, innovative and sustainable designs. The colored and patterned solar panels form a paradigm shift in solar applications because of its aesthetic appeal and power generating attributes. Colored and patterned BIPV solutions could be adapted in variety of materials, colors and shapes that can be seen today in the center of cities, where a diversity of buildings from different eras and construction solutions coexist with each other. Innovative design of solar modules would enable new possibilities for integration into new and old buildings, historical sites, public urban spaces, landscapes and media façade. The colored PV modules provide the PV community with a new, more cultural duty where they can deliver more than just electricity. This activity builds a research team that that is strong in the BIPV, building, and creative design to explore the opportunities of applying colored and patterned  BIPV in creative and sustainable urban designs. It is organized to display the approach to colored BIPV wherein good architectural form is given to function and applied to make PV electricity part of our natural and cultural environment. 

• Solar energy application group