In an increasing effort to design buildings with a life-cycle approach, renewable energy technologies have attracted the attention of the building industry for a long time. In particular, the modularity and simplicity of photovoltaic (PV) panels make solar PV the most promising renewable energy technology for integration into buildings. BIPV materials are defined as a building product which meets both the mechanical and aesthetic requirements of a building material while also serving to convert sunlight into useful electricity. As a building material, a BIPV product deals with the same issues as the traditional elements it replaces: appearance, weather tightness, wind loading, lifetime, UV exposure, safety and cost. Rather than tacking PV modules onto existing structures as an afterthought, building integrated PV captures the value of both the replaced building product and the PV module in a single product. When intelligently integrated into buildings, PV technologies are attractive multifunctional materials that perform all of the traditional functions of façade materials while simultaneously generating carbon-free electricity.
Sun Phocus Technologies dramatically improves the cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and aesthetics of building-integrated solar power. The transparent HoloSun™ solar concentrator allows windows, skylights, and glass curtain walls to collect solar radiation and generate electricity.
Holosun
HoloSunTM is a thin holographic coating that can be applied to glass surfaces and incorporated into building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. The patented technology works as a solar concentrator compatible with any type of solar photovoltaic cell. HoloSun is an entirely passive technology: none of the expensive mechanical tracking systems, mirrors, or lenses typically associated with solar concentrators are required.
The transparent nature of the holographic film makes the technology a particularly good fit for BIPV applications. Because the film does not significantly impact the ability to see through a window, it can be placed in areas where opaque solar cells are not possible. By capturing and concentrating up to 30% of incoming light, HoloSun™ reduces the surface area that must be covered with expensive solar PV cells. The use of HoloSun™ inherently changes the economics of glass use on exterior facades, opening up the possibility of using more glass and incorporating more passive daylighting into building designs (passive daylight is the use of natural light instead of electrical lighting).
Applied as a thin film, HoloSun™ is not bulky, adds virtually no weight to the building structure, and is attractive. Designed to be placed on the inside surface of double-paned windows, HoloSun™ has no impact on wind loads, is inherently protected from the elements, and requires no special care during interior or exterior window washing.
Each building is different, and for BIPV applications those differences are important. Building latitude, orientation, and other design considerations play an important role in selecting the ideal BIPV products. The HoloSun™ technology is well-suited for such diversity. By altering the physical structure of the hologram, different versions of HoloSun™ can be inexpensively produced. Examples of different versions include those optimized for low-light conditions and high or low incident angles of incoming light. To ensure that each of our customers enjoys the full benefit of installing HoloSun™, Sun Phocus will work with you to design the best possible BIPV solution.
