A team at RMIT University has developed a new tool that enables architects and engineers to easily incorporate building-integrated photovoltaics or BIPV into their designs.
BIPV encompasses building features such as roof tiles, cladding and windows that double as solar panels, and can potentially cover a greater area of a building, generating solar energy from different angles. Using BIPV when designing buildings with solar also increases the visual appeal.
However, despite the potential of BIPVs, conventional roof-mounted solar panels are the first preference for architects and engineers due to the extra complexity in predicting performance and sourcing BIPV technology.
The new software, BIPV Enabler, will help building designers to incorporate, source and cost BIPV during the project’s conceptual design phase. Funded by RMIT and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the software is the first of its kind to be designed using Australian data. The tool integrates product, regulation, technical, economic and construction data to create 3D models and detailed lifecycle simulations tailored to each building’s planned location.
“This is the perfect solution for building designers and developers looking to select the right solar option to suit their design,” said project lead associate professor Rebecca Yang from RMIT’s Solar Energy Application Group. Yang is also the director of the Australian PV Institute and drives the BIPV Alliance.
“We’re making integrated solar a more attractive option to developers, slicing the time it would normally take to research and implement incognito solar devices.
“This isn’t just for new buildings either. Those looking to retrofit integrated solar into existing buildings will benefit too.”
Observing that BIPV Enabler is set to help bridge the gap between BIPV technology and architectural design, architect Nic Bao, also a lecturer in architecture at RMIT, commented that having a tool to effortlessly incorporate factors such as climate, building code and materials would make solar-savvy design easier.
“There are so many technical factors to consider when integrating BIPV into a design that it hadn’t been a popular choice, which was a missed opportunity,” he says.
“Making BIPV design more accessible promotes sustainable development of energy-efficient buildings, while providing opportunities for low-carbon architecture.”
BIPV Enabler also helps designers and developers using integrated solar to choose and source materials, which has been a major challenge. The software features Australia’s first photovoltaic product database where Australian suppliers can be easily identified.
Among the tool’s features are maps, a 3D shape library, solar visualisations, hourly weather data and pricing information for materials and feed-in tariffs.
Yang said BIPV Enabler also worked with computer-aided design programs and could be scaled and customised to incorporate other open-source datasets to suit changing needs.
“We hope to see more buildings capable of generating solar electricity, while maintaining good design standards – a win for the planet and aesthetics,” Yang says.
Image: RMIT student Aminath Samaha using the BIPV Enabler during class
