Creative use of BIPV materials: barriers and solutions

Kerrouche, Abdelfateh; Hardy, D.A.; Blekastad, S.; Roaf, S.C.; Richards, B.S.

Abstract

Inventive use of photovoltaic (PV) materials in architecture can be developed through use of PV in artworks. This is particularly important in increasing the uptake of building-integrated building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), by developing novel methods of combining and installing PV materials. Current examples of PV artwork and design are examined, from small to large scale, to assess the current design limitations. The design of two PV artworks is discussed in detail, including an artwork that uses the principle of the luminescent solar concentrator (LSC), to show the way in which design hurdles are discovered and overcome. Challenges range from difficulties in obtaining small quantities of PV materials; the balance between efficiency and artistic effect; through to technical and siting issues that an artist must address when designing a functional PV structure. Methods of overcoming these barriers are explored, including the use of lumogen dyes in encapsulant materials.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
• Start Date: Sep 25, 2012
• End Date: Sep 28, 2012
• Publication Date: Sep 28, 2012
• Deposit Date: Oct 18, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 18, 2018
• Keywords: Design; Fabrication; Performance; Concentrators
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1318418
• Contract Date: Oct 18, 2018