Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.8 Drivers of BIPV Diffusion
The absence, inadequacy and changing character of government incentives were noted as limiting factors to the diffusion of BIPV. It was also reported that frequent policy changes or fluctuating agreements create stress in the administrative procedure for BIPV adoption (Boesiger & Bacher, 2018). Low government support combined with unwilling developers (Goh et al., 2017; Prieto et al., 2017), as well as an overall lack of market establishment were noted as interrelated challenges (Ebert & Kapsis, 2018).
The lack of interest is a broad topic connection other issues, but may also stand as a significant barrier as mentioned by several studies who observed indifference and disapproval, particularly in the façade (Kosorić et al., 2018). City attachment or heritage protectiveness may also cause the public to have a lack of interest for fear that the BIPV installation may change the existing aesthetic of the locality (Curtius, 2018; Strazzera &
Statzu, 2017). From the point of view of architects, this disinclination was reported as a consequence of incompatibility with conventional architectural traditions (Curtius, 2018). The findings of Boesiger and Bacher (2018), however, suggest that there is difficulty in appealing and engaging architects through PV/BIPV exhibitions to address their reservations.
Chang et al. (2019) reported that some residents express concern that the usable sunlight for BIPV systems is uncertain. This was a statement made by a study in a tropical region with frequent rains and cloudy days.
Although evaluation and verification of these strategies may be critically contextual as are some barriers, they represent the recommendations from the various investigations and provide a wealth of knowledge.
2.8.1 How can awareness be a promoter of BIPV adoption?
Strategies which engage the awareness to drive knowledge were noted; those which provide information and communication, either though campaigns, or built examples of BIPV. Access to formal training for professionals was also noted as a possible driver.
The promotion of BIPV related information towards effective communication using campaigns, periodic outreach, and media sources were reported as important strategies to drive BIPV adoption (Ritzen et al., 2016; Strazzera & Statzu, 2017). These should be targeted at different customer groups (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017)), to share findings of various research and findings (Ritzen et al., 2016), because awareness was suggested as a more efficient way to improve diffusion (Chang et al., 2019).
Research in the same area also indicated that proper information and knowledge may assist to make informed client decisions about adopting BIPV. For example, information about cost per square meter comparisons with existing conventional materials revealed that BIPV could be less expensive than some other building materials (Koinegg et al., 2013). Another study also agreed that awareness and information generate a positive effect and facilitate the acceptability of PV (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017).
The importance of information on associated benefits of BIPV as a guide to architects during the design process was also raised (Prieto et al., 2017) which would
facilitate architect-client discussions about the technology. The study suggested that proper documentation and the use of recorded data extracted from performance of completed projects are vital. To shed more light, Strazzera and Statzu (2017) found out that such personalized communication was favored by potential investors, and NGOs were deemed a more trusted source than private firms or public agencies.
Informative BIPV projects developed by local organizations provide financial, and other strategic benefits of this technology to encourage more people to adopt it (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017). Such projects are able to provide education and learning to motivate the industry (Chang et al., 2019).
The development of university-level course materials for BIPV (Tabakovic et al., 2017), as well as the suggestion for more degrees which promote renewable energy (Chang et al., 2019) were recommended as necessary to build a BIPV expertise.
Osseweijer et al. (2018) also suggested that all stakeholders should be engaged in the delivery of education on BIPV-related content. Practically speaking, the use of virtual learning strategies (Tabakovic et al., 2017) and state-of-the-art publications (Prieto et al., 2017) provide the opportunity for remote engagement of potential adopters. It was also suggested that integrating BIPV into educational curriculum for architects - both prior to and after graduation - was crucial (Curtius, 2018).
2.8.2 How does research drive BIPV adoption?
The need for further research and development in various aspects of the BIPV and PV technology has been suggested in literature. Some aspects include, maintenance issues, new solutions, product development, and aspects relating to storage. Prieto et al.
(2017) suggested the need for long-term strategies to handle maintenance and end-of-life
solution, improvement the performance and efficiency of both components and systems.
Recommendations for increased government involvement in funding research and development projects were made by Chang et al. (2019) and Prieto et al. (2017). It was suggested that this could encourage new products with enhanced potential for architectural integration (Prieto et al., 2017), or to match specific regional or contextual design needs (Chang et al., 2019).
Other explicit needs relate to optimization of mass production with minimal planning (Prieto et al., 2017) knowledge creation programs (Chang et al., 2019) as well as process digitization and automation (Osseweijer et al., 2018), and unique BIPV implementation frameworks to guide Developers (Goh et al., 2017).
The necessity for further investigation and research is to provide guided decision–making for investors rather than the use of coercive or mandatory measures (Chang et al., 2019). Also, coordinated Research and Development should be encouraged, but also targeted at facilitating knowledge-sharing (Osseweijer et al., 2018).
2.8.3 What role does the government play in facilitating adoption?
Specific reference was made to mandatory policies and regulations, design guidelines, access to information, incentives and support as well as facilitating research and development activities.
The establishment of strong energy policies for the industry, as well as those for building performance, legislation and general political stability in governance were mentioned as vital in specifically advancing BIPV (Chang et al., 2019). These policies should distinguish PV from BIPV (Osseweijer et al., 2018), direct the enactment of
nationwide laws (Koinegg et al., 2013), ensure future security (Osseweijer et al., 2018) and aim for a regulatory schema that is inclusive and international (Ritzen et al., 2016).
Policies which direct mandatory code compliance measures for new buildings and remove bottlenecks facing integrated PV installations could ensure that obstacles relating to information and subjective behavioral reluctance to adopt could be expunged (Chang et al., 2019; Curtius, 2018; Hille et al., 2018).
Architects and other consultants have advocated for policies or regulations presented as a design guidelines or a BIPV tool for aesthetically pleasing PV installations (Boesiger & Bacher, 2018; Ebert & Kapsis, 2018). This should be supported by urban planning design guidelines prepared by the government to support and direct industry standards (Chang et al., 2019) and manage BIPV diffusion in view of the dense of urban settings and complexities with the lack of roof space (Strazzera &
Statzu, 2017).
Governments were urged to provide facts and unbiased information to guide selection of BIPV design solutions (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017). Several studies found out that adoption of BIPV may be increased if the government played a key role in providing financial support (Boesiger & Bacher, 2018). Incentives for projects with solar PV installations such as feed-in-tariffs, tax rebates, green material subsidies, or specific support for companies and farmers, and free replacement or cleaning as an after-sales maintenance offer were suggested (Chang et al., 2019; Goh et al., 2017). Others include mandatory or voluntary BIPV -product, -system and -household labels to foster growth (Curtius, 2018), system certification as guarantee of quality (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017), and smart meters to enhance appreciation of savings potential (Chang et al., 2019; Goh et al., 2017).
The reported impact of these incentives, and support policies include an increase in cost-effectiveness (Prieto et al., 2017). Others include, stimulating the market (Chang et al., 2019) and a change in energy consumption and behavior (Stauch & Vuichard, 2019). It was observed that the reason why incentives in context of BIPV adoption are frequently recommended is the encouragement is the associated financial burdens (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017) and rising energy prices (Prieto et al., 2017).
2.8.4 Are there drivers which address the design process barriers?
In view of the barriers noted that relate to the design process, possible drivers which facilitate the BIPV design projects were also sought from the various studies.
Some of those identified in relationship to the presence of design improved products that are aesthetically pleasing to facilitate architectural integration, ethical and ecological motivation, and general interest were noted as a potential driver.
In addition to the role of skilled professionals in the design of aesthetically BIPV solutions, the general topic of aesthetics as a facilitator of BIPV adoption has been reported (Curtius, 2018; Osseweijer et al., 2018; Prieto et al., 2017). Aesthetics was mentioned as a factor which makes BIPV more attractive than the competing BAPV option (Curtius, 2018). To achieve this, Kosorić et al. (2019) suggested that the integrated panels should be discreetly positioned so that they are not visible, particularly from the inside. Prieto et al. (2017) also mentioned the need for minimal visual constraints and simplified assembly, component design variety, flexible designs facilitated by standardization of components, as well as enhanced durability of system components. Another study asserted that aesthetics of BIPV would appeal more to people than basic rack-mounted solar PV installation (Petrovich et al., 2019).
The need to develop more design tools which specifically assist architects in resolving the technical considerations associated with BIPV design right from the initial design stage was also recommended as a driver (Prieto et al., 2017). Also, Ritzen et al (2016) suggested that there is a need for tools which assist in environmental considerations of BIPV in comparison with conventional materials.
It was found that BIPV customization at the system and product levels was found acceptable and appealing to customers and homeowners. This may be the option to choose other colors such as red and black apart from the blue (Hille et al., 2018) or modularity to simplify integration (Prieto et al., 2017). It was also reported that the value of aesthetically pleasing products can be used as a marketing tool with homeowners (Hille et al., 2018).
Personal interest in BIPV, convictions and norms which aligned with the technology was found to be a motivating factor which was sometimes greater than aesthetics or economic interest (Boesiger & Bacher, 2018).
In some studies, ethical, ecological, environmental, and sustainability motivation was reported as second most significant driver (Lu et al., 2019) or even the main factor (Ebert & Kapsis, 2018) having a positive effect on the probability to adopt (Stauch &
Vuichard, 2019). The impact of this driver was linked to its capacity to bring economic benefits (Lu et al., 2019).
Lu et al. (2019) reported that people who are concerned about the environment act to reduce negative impact, and are more likely to adopt BIPV as a mitigation strategy. Some other authors also agree that when a green or environmental mindset is active in society adoption chances increase (Goh et al., 2017; Osseweijer et al., 2018), and adoption may be facilitated by non-financial incentives (Goh et al., 2017).
2.8.5 Are there drivers which address the industry-related barriers?
Professional competence and collaborations at a broad level were identified as drivers which could address the BIPV adoption from the industry perspective. Setting up clear standards that define how BIPV is specified in the industry was also raised as having some impact on adoption.
Technical knowledge and professional guidance which, for example, informs the balance between energy generation and energy consumption using façade integrated BIPV were reported as fundamental facilitators of BIPV adoption (Curtius, 2018;
Koinegg et al., 2013; Strazzera & Statzu, 2017). It was also observed that creative integration which conceals the BIPV installation increases the aesthetic appeal and the system acceptability. (Sánchez-Pantoja et al., 2018).
The cooperation and collaboration between all stakeholders involved during a BIPV project, including building and PV professionals (Curtius, 2018; Kosorić et al., 2018) were recommended as facilitating the diffusion of the technology. It was recommended that the goal of this multi-disciplinary industrial association should be the acceptance and balance of varying interests of all stakeholders, including both designers and manufacturers (Kosorić et al., 2018; Osseweijer et al., 2018; Prieto et al., 2017). The focus of such collaboration is the harmony of international efforts (Ritzen et al., 2016), and the development of design solutions, products and market models (Kosorić et al., 2018; Osseweijer et al., 2018). This effort will advance cooperation as well as the exchange of knowledge and information across various sectors of the industry (Koinegg et al., 2013; Kosorić et al., 2018).
Additional industry-related drivers such as re-categorizing BIPV as a fixture and not as a fitting (Osseweijer et al., 2018) and standardization of the technology to match current construction sector requirements such as expressing prices per meter square not per watt peak (Goh et al., 2017) were suggested.
2.8.6 Are there drivers which address cost-related barriers?
Opportunity for cost savings, reduction of the price of BIPV as well as financial business models were mentioned as economic strategies towards increasing BIPV adoption. The profitability of a BIPV installation as a motivating factor was ranked close to aesthetics (Curtius, 2018). This study also reported that this driver was engaged in the hope that the system will ultimately pay for itself, for example, amortize the cost of investment. Planning, supporting, executing and promoting the reduction of direct and indirect costs associated with the adoption of BIPV technology were reported as strategic ways to increase its diffusion potentials (Goh et al., 2017; Hille et al., 2018;
Koinegg et al., 2013; Kosorić et al., 2019).
Developing unique and case-by-case business models were suggested as a means of increasing adoption (Koinegg et al., 2013; Ritzen et al., 2016), and adjusting or coping with changing regulations on subsidies (Osseweijer et al., 2018). Entrepreneurial experimentation (Chang et al., 2019), and community solar models (Koinegg et al., 2013; Stauch & Vuichard, 2019) were identified as important models in raising the adoption rates of BIPV. Other strategies like ‗one-stop-shop‘ products which reduce product complexity as well as ‗perfect customer journeys‘ were also identified in literature (Curtius, 2018).
2.8.7 Are there any other drivers of BIPV adoption?
Social drivers related evolved in the review; they relate to issues from a personal angle such as subjective interest, influence from one‘s social network, family size and energy demand, and the desire for prestige and recognition. It was discovered that when people have neighbors, friends or relatives who already have installed BIPV, they are also likely to adopt the technology (Petrovich et al., 2019; Curtius et al., 2018). The studies noted that the association between social ties, community examples and the influence of peers was significant, creating a sort of social pressure to conform (Curtius et al., 2018; Petrovich et al., 2019). Some studies also found out that residents who desired energy independence and self-sufficiency had greater tendency to adopt (Curtius, 2018). BIPV was also considered by some for reasons related to image and recognition, as a tool to booster the ‗modern‘ character of the city (Strazzera & Statzu, 2017) and for demonstrating a green and sustainable image to serve corporate social responsibility (Lu et al., 2019).