A framework for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) design and management in Australia in early design phase

<p>There is an urgent need to explore the renewable energy resources such as solar PV which not only meet the increasing energy requirements of the world but also are environmentally friendly. Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), is an excellent source of renewable energy that could be used in buildings. The advantage of BIPV technology is its cross-functional role as a building envelope material and a free electricity generation device. The Zero Carbon Australia Buildings Plan also promotes building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), to reach a full uptake on suitable buildings by 2023. However, there is a limited application of BIPV projects in Australia. BIPV design and management is a complex process which involves requirements geophysical, technical, economical and environment factors throughout the life cycle of the system, ranging from acquiring architectural visual effects to higher solar insolation in given location, efficient energy generation and economic operation and maintenance of the BIPV system. The complexity of BIPV projects have been reported as one of the reasons for slow adoption of BIPV projects. However, there's a potential to implement successful BIPV applications if they could be explored from the early design stage of the project.</p> <p>Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework for BIPV design and management in Australia in the early design phase. To achieve the research aim, this study includes four objectives: 1. To identify factors influencing BIPV design and management under technical, economic and environmental requirements in the early design phase 2. To develop a framework for BIPV design and management in the early design phase 3. To identify methods for facilitating BIPV design and management in the early design phase and 4. To apply and validate the framework for BIPV design and management in the early design phase. This research adopts literature review, semi structured interviews, questionnaire survey and case study to achieve the research aim and objectives.</p> <p>BIPV design and management requires a holistic approach for successful BIPV projects. A total of sixteen (16) key factors under four main categories: geophysical, technical, economic and environment influencing design and management of BIPV projects were identified in the literature review. The literature findings also revealed eighteen (18) application problems and twenty (20) potential improvements in BIPV design and management. The findings were supported by semi-structured interviews, which revealed twenty-three (23) limitations and thirteen (13) improvements related to current BIPV design and management practice in Australia. The interview findings show that the BIPV sector require a tool or a framework to present their products whereas the building and construction sector require a proper tool or a framework to accurately evaluate their designs and ensure efficient performance of the BIPV designs. The results framed the structure of the framework for BIPV design and management.</p> <p>The questionnaire survey findings identified the methods, algorithms, and workflows of BIPV design and management to represent the real practice in Australia under 1. Building design and surface solar analysis 2. BIPV system energy output assessment 3. BIPV system cost-benefit assessment 4. BIPV system environmental assessment. 5. Structural, thermal, lighting and fire safety simulation 6. Optimisation of BIPV system designs. The interview and survey findings confirmed the methods used for structural, thermal, lighting and fire safety simulation are more suited for detailed design phase. The results helped to develop a structured framework for BIPV design and management in Australia in the early design phase.</p> <p>The proposed framework consists of five databases (weather, BIPV products, financial information, environmental factors and building standards and regulations) and five segments of simulation and analysis: 1. Building design and solar analysis 2. BIPV system energy output assessment 3. BIPV system cost-benefit assessment 4. BIPV system environmental assessment. 5. Optimisation of BIPV system designs. Two case studies in Victoria, Australia and semi-structured interviews were used to apply and validate the framework. The case studies explored rainscreen façade BIPV application, roof sheet BIPV application and skylight BIPV application. A model was programmed with Python to facilitate the assessments. The framework was used to generate ten optimum BIPV rainscreen designs in case study 1 and seven optimum roof sheet BIPV designs and fourteen optimum skylight BIPV designs in case study 2. The findings suggested that the framework for BIPV design and management was positive in terms of the structure, methods and techniques used.  Based on the research findings, the proposed framework provides a clear view on the technical, economic and environmental aspects of BIPV designs. The optimization process helped to identify several feasible BIPV design solutions which can be further examined in the early design phase and select the best design suited to the project requirements. Therefore, the framework could help professionals in the building design and construction and BIPV industry to identify feasible BIPV design options in the early design phase. The research findings also suggests that that BIPV façade and roof design parameters may vary based on project location, stakeholder requirements and building standards and codes.</p>   <p>This research contributes to expanding the BIPV design and management theoretical and practical knowledge. It has identified the factors, methods and workflows considering the whole life cycle of the BIPV project. Further, it shed light into the limitations and improvements in the current BIPV design and management practice in Australia. The case study findings display the feasibility of application of BIPV in urban and suburban buildings in Australia. Further, the proposed framework could also be used as a guide for designing BIPV projects in Australia which has efficient and cost-effective performance. The framework could contribute to promoting application of BIPV in building projects in Australia. This will ultimately support to reducing the environmental impacts of buildings.</p>