WG 4: PV in the built environment

This WG’s Chair is dr. Alessandra Scognamiglio (ENEA, Italy) and its Vice Chair is dr. Francesco Frontini (SUPSI, Switzerland).

This Working Group deals with the use of photovoltaics in the built environment. In particular with energy performance related issues of the use of photovoltaics in buildings (i.e. so called BIPV, Building Integrated Photovoltaics), and to the use of simulation models for predicting the performance of photovoltaics under the conditions imposed by specific different built environments.

This WG is highly multidisciplinary, since knowledge is necessary from different disciplines: architecture, engineering, urban planning, design.

Objectives:

1. Collection of information about the applications of photovoltaic solar electricity in the built environment using information from WG1, WG2 and WG3 on PV monitoring, reliability and durability and PV simulation respectively and by communications with PV experts, architects, installers, construction and building services engineers and city/urban planners.
2. Identification of required monitored data and appropriate simulation models to be used in the framework of PV in the built environment.
3. Sharing knowledge originating from WG4 with a wider community of PV experts and other experts  in  the  building  sector  by  internet,  workshops,  seminars  and  joint  publications.

Tasks:

Tasks and deliverables are structured so that there is a preliminary analysis phase, followed by a methodological proposal for tailoring the desired outputs of the action to the specific case of the use of photovoltaic technologies in the built environment. Based on results from the preliminary analysis, approaches will be chosen to build up a vision for the action.

Task 4.1: Collection of information in the data server of this Action about PV in the built environment, from realized projects, publications and information retrieved from internet, together with PV experts, architects, installer, construction and building services engineers and city/urban planners.

Responsible: Alessandra Scognamiglio

This Task is structured in other four Subtasks, which are focusing on specific research questions and approaches useful for the second part of the action.

Sub Task 4.1a CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND RELATED ISSUES

ST leaders: Aleksandra Krstic, Alessandra Scognamiglio

What is the kind of built environment in which PV is used? What are the challenges in using PV for different built environments? How to describe a specific environment, so as to give the correct inputs to simulation models?

To answer this question, in this multidisciplinary ST, research will be done on: definitions of different built environments; identification of the main PV-related issues; analysis of the main possibilities of use of PV in specific different built environments (suitability and boundary conditions).

Sub Task 4.1.b SIMULATION MODELS AND RELATED ISSUES

ST leaders: Mirjana Devetakovic, Eduardo Roman Medina

What are the simulation models currently used for predicting the energy performance of PV in the built environment? Are there gaps? What information is needed to use them?

This ST will produce a state of the art regarding the simulation models used for predicting the energy performance of PV in the built environment, highlighting the needs for improvements and new functions.

Sub Task 4.1.c BUILDING PLANNING CODES AND REGULATIONS

ST leaders: Georgia Apostolou, Margarita Ginovska

Very often the use of PV in the built environment is limited due to so called “not technical barriers”, such as building planning codes and regulations. There are also cases where some legislative support exists that fosters the use of PV.

This ST will produce a state of the art of building planning codes and regulations that have an influence on the use of PV in the built environment, based on different country perspectives. Therefore, it includes also translations of national documents in English, when necessary.

Sub Task 4.1.d ENERGY PERFORMANCE NORMS THAT APPLY TO BUILDINGS

ST leaders: Francesco Frontini, Margarita Ginovska

Photovoltaics is considered a crucial technology for meeting the goal of the Net Zero Energy balance of buildings. Very often energy performance norms that apply to buildings can influence also the use of PV. From the energy point of view, photovoltaic modules, if used within the building envelope, can be considered both as passive and active elements of the building.

This ST will produce a state of the art of energy performance norms that apply to buildings, based on different country perspectives. Therefore, it includes also translations of national documents in English, when necessary.

Task 4.2: Identification of required data and appropriate simulation models to be used in the framework of PV systems in the built environment given the challenges of (i) shading by neighbouring buildings, (ii) building and planning codes and regulations and (iii) energy performance norms that apply to and/or are required for, buildings.
Responsible: Francesco Frontini
STS have to be defined.

Deliverables:

D11. Publications of findings originating from WG4 in high-impact journals, conference proceedings and a special issue of an international peer reviewed journal.
D12. Reports of the WG 4 activities (month 12, 24, 36, 48), including the organisation of two workshops and two seminars about PV in the built environment.
D13. Open source data and software for PV in the built environment.

LIST OF WG MEMBERS (by 22 January 2018)

Alessandra SCOGNAMIGLIO, ENEA, Italy (Chair)

Francesco FRONTINI, SUPSI, Switzerland (Vice Chair)

Georgia APOSTOLOU, University of Twente, the Netherlands

Simon BODDAERT, CSTB, France

Bodgan Gabriel BURDUHOS, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania

Mirjana DEVETAKOVIC, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Gabriele EDER, OFI, Austria

Gabi FRIESEN, SUPSI, Switzerland

Margarita GINOVSKA, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Patrick HENDRICK, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

Aleksandra KRSTIC-FURUNDZIC,  University of Belgrade, Serbia

Georgios MARTINOPOLOUS, International Hellenia University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Laura MATURI, EURAC, Italy

Marta PANAO, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Eduardo ROMAN MEDINA, TECNALIA, Spain

Ion VISA, Transilvania University of Braşov, Romania