BIPV is not a solar panel resting on the roof: it is the building itself. The architectural skin evolves: structural glass embeds silicon, transforming the building envelope from a passive shield into an invisible, integrated power station.
In the BIPV paradigm, the photovoltaic element replaces conventional building materials, performing all the functions of a normal infill panel: mechanical wind resistance, watertightness, acoustic insulation and solar control. The cells, encapsulated between two layers of EVA, capture photons generating direct current. The cost of the solar material is partly offset by the saving on the purchase of the traditional cladding.
Crystalline silicon (dark square cells) is completely opaque: transparency is achieved by spacing the cells apart to create a geometric pattern. Thin-film technologies (amorphous silicon or CIGS) instead allow a homogeneous semi-transparency similar to a heavily tinted glass.
Standards
European and international references applicable.
Physical properties
Usage environment
Unlike rooftop panels, BIPV modules conceal junction boxes along their edges. Cables (pigtails) run invisibly inside the aluminium curtain wall mullions and transoms. Use micro-inverters or power optimisers to manage irregular shading on urban facades.