Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer UMSICHT have developed a building façade with integrated PV
These are in-built with thermal insulation properties with the use of natural materials like hemp fibers and mushroom material
Since these façades incorporate natural elements and do not require a substructure, they can lower costs and are good for the environment
Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and Fraunhofer Institute for Environment, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT have built a pre-fabricated façade element with integrated photovoltaics, with natural renewable raw materials used to incorporate thermal insulation.
Out of the 2 versions of 1 x 1.2 m façades, one uses hemp fibers as an insulating material, while the other is made up of a mushroom material. The latter can also be produced from waste materials from the agricultural industry. Group Leader for building material development at Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Dr. Holger Wack, points out that these materials are carbon-neutral and circular.
The researchers add that the insulation is inserted into the BIPV façade element in such a way that the components can be separated by type at any time without dismantling the adjacent elements.
Thermal insulation, incorporated in the form of an additional layer in the building facade, basically helps keep the building warm during winter and cool during summer. The BIPV façade developed by Fraunhofer with integrated thermal insulation can help lower costs.
“By eliminating the substructure, large amounts of material are saved compared to classic constructions for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) with a ventilated facade (VHF),” they explain.
Fraunhofer advocates the use of such BIPV façades for the application area of building classes 1 to 3, as these can be quickly and easily installed. The team created the façade element as part of the Fraunhofer lead project ‘BAU-DNS’.
“We were already able to confirm the good handling during assembly without special assembly aids such as holding systems and the associated high assembly speed of less than 1.5 hours per module with this first demonstrator," said Team Leader for Solar Building Envelopes - Technology at Fraunhofer ISE, Dr. Jan-Bleicke Eggers.
Produced at Fraunhofer ISE, the initial prototypes were installed on a campus building at the end of October 2024. The team is monitoring their behavior in terms of electrical yield, durability, temperature and humidity, along with thermal insulation properties.