Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Research Paper Example

ACRONYMS

BIPV: Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV)

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PV: Photovoltaic

DC: Direct Current

BIPV/T: Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal

VCS: Integrated Ventilated Core Slab

ETFE: Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene

OJVF: Joint Ventilated Exteriors

ASF: Adaptive Solar Facades

3-D: Three Dimensional

ABSTRACT

Renewable energy is an aspect of the sustainability paradigm of the 21st century, and it is the premise for the green degradation movement for environmental conservation in the western world. New technologies and instruments, both for construction and building design, have become critical for architects in the development of efficient buildings regarding energy production and use. Strategies for the production of renewable energy are vital for the mitigation of the problems associated with energy security for the future, as traditional wellsprings of fuel turn out to be progressively scarce. The study proposes sustainability building through the integration of solar energy panels in high rise commercial buildings in the United Kingdom. It recommends the incorporation of thermal; and photovoltaic system of energy collection, presenting an architectural solution for an issue that has traditionally been perceived as an engineering problem. From this point of view, sustainable energy systems can be incorporated as both aesthetic and functional elements within buildings.

Keywords: Solar, power, energy, sustainable building

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Sustainability

Advances in technologies in the present age of globalization have changed formerly local economies into a global consumer culture. Primarily, governments depend on the services and employment related to both downstream and upstream savings all together to sustain a viable social system plunging communities into crisis levels of pollution and overpopulation (Saroglou et al., 2017). Consumerism, as a dominant worldwide social power, has increased contamination, necessitating the discovery of distinct approaches to manage the resulting impacts. Considering that skyscrapers are the biggest energy consumers, engineers have been entrusted with the responsibility of finding a solution for more energy and resource efficient designs across the board. Mainly, this raises questions on the nature of the design and their level of sustainability. For a considerable length of time preceding the discovery of the modern building systems for climate control, significant structural elements, for example, wind catchers were used to cooling and ventilating buildings, particularly in arid and hot or humid areas. Such innovations are being utilized today in parts of North Africa, and the Middle East and, and equivalent arrangements have been incorporated into net-positive and net-zero structures in Canada. Innovations are regularly deliberated and integrated alongside ancient ones to develop new solutions for long-standing issues, and in addition to the emerging once.

The construction and building industry are a crucial element of all economies but importantly have an essential impact on the environment. Most nations have started implementing policies pf harvesting green energy such as solar and wind. By looking at its size, the construction industry is the largest consumer of material resources, water, and energy and on the other hand, it is a formidable polluter. Organizations are starting to design buildings that are that are energy efficient and more suitable buildings.

A sustainable project is mainly designed, operated, reused, and renovated in an ecological and resource efficient way. It must meet specific objectives such as energy and resource efficiency, GHG and CO2 emission reductions, mitigation of noise, pollution prevention, harmonization of the environment, and improved indoor quality. Importantly, the construction industry practitioners have started paying attention to the correcting and controlling environmental damage that is caused by their activities. Engineers, architects, designers, and other involved individuals have to opportunity to reduce the environmental impact through the implementation of sustainable objectives in the construction industry.

Estimates indicate that by the end of 2056 the global economic activity would have probably increased five times, the global energy consumptions would increase three times, and the population would have increased by 50%. The building sector is rapidly growing energy consumption, and with the initiative of implementing energy efficient building, it would be easy to conserve energy and reduce the environmental impact.

With regards to solar energy, humanity has continuously looked to harvest its power in everyday needs. It has been a critical resource, and at the same time a challenge for architects, confronted with the problem of balancing the risk of overheating and natural lighting. The passive solar design tries to lower the energy consumption of structural buildings while ensuring that building needs are well aligned with natural forces. Active cosmic energy frameworks are a generally new area, with the most recent aspect being the incorporation of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) in the current practice to enhance energy performance. Such frameworks are multifunctional, meeting both aesthetic and functional needs of buildings. The performance potential and design of BIPV system are being considered carefully as the underlying technology becomes more efficient and cheaper. For instance, the BIPV is a dual-skin facade, and an integral part of the building envelop, supporting a solar electric energy system for power generation, ventilation, and protection of the building from unwanted agents, such as sound, pollutants, and wind. These systems are hence multifunctional materials of construction with both active and passive elements. It is remarked in the literature that such a system ought to be integrated and combined to ensure they remain efficient and conversational, as well as to reduce carbon emissions. It is in such a scenario that architects need to incorporate suitable technologies, including photovoltaic into building designs while not ignoring the benefits of historical precedents. Novel techniques ought to enhance rather than obfuscate or replace pre-existing ones.

1.2 Objectives

• To study the potential of incorporating solar energy into high rise commercial buildings in the UK
• To evaluate how sustainable energy systems can be integrated as both aesthetic and functional elements within

1.3 Photovoltaics

The standard component of a BIPV framework is the photovoltaic (PV) module, comprised of single solar cells. These cells are connected by wires and cables to result in a PV array. Diffuse or direct insolation of solar rays onto the cells instigates the photovoltaic effect, producing unregulated direct current (DC). The DC power can be utilized directly, fed into the inverter to be changed and synchronized into AC power. The energy can, therefore, be used in the building or directed to utility companies using a grid interconnection. There are several types of photovoltaic cells, which are commercially available, and they include amorphous silicon (a-Si); hybrid cells; monocrystalline silicon (c-Si); and polycrystalline silicon (c-Si). Amorphous silicon cells are adaptable and are more proficient under higher temperatures because of annealing effects, whereas they generally less productive (6-8%) and relatively costly than the two crystalline silicon cells types. Amorphous silicon, unlike c-Si sunlight-based cells, is more sustainable environmentally and is not associated with the production of harmful heavy metals, for example, lead or cadmium. The choice of building material relies on a suitable architectural solution. Though a-Si cells are adaptable and apply to a range of geometries, their crystalline counterparts are inflexible and must be introduced as faceted parts. The tradeoff is that polycrystalline silicon is approximately twice as active as the latter. The photovoltaic cell (OPV) is an alternative form of thin film product.

Photovoltaics the conversion of solar energy into electricity. The material used contains a property known as photoelectric that absorb photons of light and at the same time release the electrons. The capture of the free electrons creates an electric current that is used as electricity.

The above diagram shows how a normal photovoltaic cell looks like and it is also known as a solar cell. The photovoltaic system works differently. The solar panels have several solar cells that are made up of layers of various materials. Furthermore, the solar panels have an anti-reflective coating that plays a crucial role in helping the cells capture light. The positive and negative conductors of the solar panels mainly create a pathway for the currents and electrons that are released. The wires carry the electric current in the form of DC electricity. Primarily, lead to the solar inverter which mainly the DC electricity into AC electricity that is used in homes and industries. The main argument is that the more solar panels installed, the more electricity is produced.

There are several advantages to use of the photovoltaic system and solar energy. Primarily, the system is a powerful form of clean energy and it is cheaper. Moreover, a properly installed PV system gives plenty of power, help during power outages, reduce the electricity bills, and even enable an individual to earn utility bill credit from the local power grid.

With energy efficiency of over 22%, these systems are competitive regarding performance with crystalline cells, with the advantage of being exceptionally adaptable, extremely thin, and consistent in appearance (Cocchia 2014). Additionally, organic cells have the capability of being to fabricate, although the innovation is relatively novel and yet to be commercially viable. At present, organic cells have a considerably shorter operational life expectancy than silicon (inorganic) products. (Lin et al. 133-56). Photovoltaic systems can be incorporated into building design in arrange of ways. The most well-known strategy is directly integrating economically viable modules onto outside surfaces of buildings. It is frequently the case in retrofit ventures where photovoltaic boards are laid out on rooftops of commercial or residential buildings. The second approach entails the integration of similar commercially available modules in the surfaces of the structures with the photovoltaic panels acting as both active power generation component and weather barrier. The most fully integrated and third arrangement involves embedding modules within the elements of the buildings. The best case of the latter provision is the solar glasses introduced in 2016 by Tesla. These products address the aesthetics concern directly, disguising the solar cells when perceived from acute angles with the solar panel only visible at ninety degrees. Each of the three approaches confronts a similar performance and design challenges.

1.4 BIPV systems

Assortments of BIPV systems exist, although most can be assembled into two main categories: facade and rooftop systems. Facade systems incorporate spandrel panels, wall products, and independent grazing units. Rooftop frameworks include tiles, skylights, and shingles. Besi...