SmartFLEX – Cost competitive solution for BIPV ventilated glass facades

This BIPV solution came from participation in EU funded project SmartFlex. The project started in 2012 as joint partnership with several manufacturers and R&D institutes across Europe. It consisted several key goals:

• Sharp cost reduction of BIPV products for end users;
• Development of tool for architects to be able to use solar power in buildings easily;
• Wide design customization options to reach as flexible as possible visual results;
• Development of versatile Junction box;
• Simplified mounting solution for BIPV modules (of any size and shape).

These core goals of Smartflex were reached and simplified BIPV integration and later administration of such system was reached.

The results are astonishing! 600 m2 glass façade was installed to the functioning office building on south and west facades of the building with customly arranged solar cell grid together with glass / glass modules with blend-in design printed on top of a module. 15 different types of BIPV glass-glass modules were manufactured, reaching size up to 3,5 meter height and 1,7 meter width.

Before

After

The SmartFlex solution stands out by its unique approach to designing the glass façades – as architects are free to use any shape, size, color scheme or custom design print and transparency, while achieving wanted efficiency and competitive price per square meter of this solar glass façade. Estimated cost for this ‘second-skin’ solar facade are similar as stone or metal facade. Knowing all this the price for this energy active facade was quite low, especially when compared to glass-window facades.