Façade Integrated Photovoltaics design for high-rise buildings with balconies, balancing daylight, aesthetic and energy productivity performance

Abstract

Façade Integrated Photovoltaics (FIPV) is a promising strategy to deploy solar energy in the built environment and to achieve the carbon-neutral goals of society. As standing out areas of façade, cantilevered balconies are ideal for FIPV application. However, the balcony shadings can also influence the solar potential on other parts of facades and the interior daylight performance. There is an urgent need for systematic architectural studies to promote FIPV application for buildings with balconies. This research aims to develop a holistic architectural method supporting the integrative design of FIPV for residential high-rise buildings. Firstly, balcony prototypes and position arrangements (aligned, staggered and side) for high-rises were proposed, with Trondheim city in Norway as a case study. Then daylight and solar radiation analysis were conducted through a series of simulations. Based on aesthetic strategies, coloured FIPV designs were proposed subsequently and tested in an online survey. Finally, theoretical energy productivity calculations were conducted. The results showed that side balconies arrangement could provide the best performance in interior daylight and solar energy harvest aspects, and FIPV designs with partial balcony railing areas in complementary hues were the most aesthetically preferred type. The estimated annual energy generated by FIPV together with roof-integrated PV (black) can cover up to 60% of household energy consumption of an 11-floor high-rise. The study provided a novel integrative design method supporting the FIPV application for high-rise with balconies from architectural perspectives, which can balance the performance in aspects of façade aesthetic, interior daylight, and energy productivity.