SolConPro
Funding period: 04/2015 - 03/2018

Holistic Integration of Energetically Active Facade Components in Building Processes

The research project Holistic Integration of Energetically Active Facade Components in Building Processes (SolConPro) analyzes and develops solutions promoting the integration of energy active components into the building envelope.

The commencement of the “Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz” (EEG) in 2000 by the German government is the foundation for the extension of renewable energies representing an essential element of the energy transition. Pursuing the goal to achieve a share of at least 80 percent of renewable energies in the power supply by 2050, the EEG protects the climate and environment as well as it conserves fossil energy resources [Source]. Beyond that, the German government declared the ambition to reduce the greenhouse emissions in comparison with 1990 by not less than 40 percent until 2020 and 80 till 95 percent until 2050 [Source]. Large surface areas are necessary for the conversion of wind and solar energy to that end, which engenders substantial encroachments to the nature. At this juncture roofs and facades provide an enormous potential. By an increasing utilisation of new and existing building envelopes to generate electricity and heat from solar energy the additionally required space for renewable energies can be decreased.

Despite the increasing appeal to use solar components caused by the cost degression of the PV industry of recent years an economic and reliable integration in the building envelope has not been achieved yet. A holistic integration of facade integrated PV and solar thermal components into the construction process chain is missing. The fragmentation of the planning process and a non-consistent joint use of data in planning, implementation and operation complicate the application of active components in facade or roof of a building.

The research project Holistic Integration of Energy Active Facade Components in Building Processes aims to develop and analyse solutions promoting the integration of energy active components into the building envelope. Thus we will consider ways and means for involving these components into the early planning process in order to produce informative simulations. Aside from that the data communication transferring the various project stages and partners must be permanently guaranteed. Therefore an extension of the methodology of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to allow a complete and permanent endorsement of active PV and solar thermal components will be our focus.

SolConPro video

Video available in german language only.

SolConPro was sponsored within the framework of the joint project EnOB Research for Energy Optimized Building by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy based on a decree of the German Bundestag.

Sponsorship identifier: 03ET1290C

Duration: 01.04.2015 till 31.03.2018