Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.2 The Significance of BIPV as an Innovative PV Technology
stated by the authors are towards innovation at a holistic business level. These relate to creating a culture of innovation, choosing the right strategy, building effective development processes, making resource commitments and leveraging on capabilities.
The findings of the study carried out by Ozorhon and Oral (2016) comparatively suggest that project-related factors are the major drivers of innovation.
Their progressive analysis on the indicators of the suggested innovation components revealed that the main reasons behind construction innovation are project complexity, innovation policy, and environmental sustainability. The results also highlight essential resources needed for successful innovation implement as financial and knowledge resources. Bygalle and Ingemansson (2014) have asserted that the innovation process is a continuum - sometimes iterative, of explorative (discovering new) and exploitative (by applying old) behavior. They suggested that new solutions only become innovations when both types of learning situations are combined. This is regardless of the kind of innovation, whether it is a new approach to combining existing solutions, or the creation of new solutions.
scale photovoltaics as it provides micro-energy power generation close to the primary load (Banos et al., 2011; Hiremath et al., 2007; Radhi, 2011; Toledo et al., 2010). In the process, this removes the need for the transmittance of electricity over long distances from power generation stations and could incidentally reduce transmission and distribution (T&D) costs and line losses (Bakos et al., 2003;
Sharples & Radhi, 2013; Timilsina et al., 2012). Capital expenditure for land, infrastructure and maintenance is also removed as the building envelope provides the needed supporting structure for the solar panels (Bakos et al., 2003; Byrnes et al., 2013; Sharples & Radhi, 2013; Yang & Zou, 2016). From a social point of view, BIPV also provides users with a degree of energy security, supply, control and autonomy as it potentially encourages household load-shifting and reduced levels of energy consumption (Dunn & Peterson, 2000; Sauter & Watson, 2007). Cost benefits with BIPV and financial savings from Feed-in-Tariffs (FITs) lower cumulative costs and improve the cost balance such that the equivalent cost of electricity is close to zero (Abdullah et al., 2012; Hammond et al., 2012; Yang & Zou, 2016).
Current and prospective advances of BIPV listed below further assert its additional advantages over utility-scale PV based on its multi-functional potential as a building material or component. The building envelope is conventionally made up of roofing, walls, glazing, cladding and fenestrations; and other structures like shading devices, parapets and balconies. Each of these components provide opportunities for integrating PVs to the building and by extension, for façade customization (Farkas et al., 2013; Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016; Montoro et al., 2011; Munari Probst et al., 2013; Thomas, 2003). Furthermore, BIPV can be further applied as safety glass (Montoro et al., 2011), a privacy screen as visual covers by one-way mirroring (Farkas et al., 2013; Montoro et al., 2011) or in transparent
options using thin film for light transmission and visual contact with the exterior (Montoro et al., 2011; Oliver & Jackson, 2001; Pagliaro et al., 2010). Other applications include sun protection/shading/lighting modulation (Farkas et al., 2013;
Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016; Montoro et al., 2011; Oliver & Jackson, 2001) and noise protection—reaching up to 25 dB sound dumping (Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016; Montoro et al., 2011; Oliver & Jackson, 2001).
From material and labor savings due to replacement of components to lowering of total building material costs by reduction in additional assembly and mounting costs, BIPV also provides significant cost savings (Jelle, 2016; Jelle et al., 2012). Also, on-going costs of a building are reduced via operational cost savings and reduced embodied energy (Morris, 2013). As a modernized means of replacing conventional materials such as brickwork (Heinstein et al., 2013), BIPV serves as a public demonstration of owner‘s green ecological and futurist image (Montoro et al., 2011). Innovative and customized BIPV options provide unique color, size variations and flexibility, thus providing aesthetic appeal and options for façade design (Hardy, 2015; Jelle, 2016; Montoro et al., 2011). This interest in the architectural integration of BIPV has further produced custom BIPV products which can increase enhance PV power output and performance in a range of 2–80% based on design (Hachem &
Elsayed, 2016; Hardy et al., 2013; Nagy et al., 2016; Valckenborg et al., 2016).
Other BIPV benefits include recognition for code compliance, prestigious building ratings and its benefits (Assaf & Nour, 2015; Elmasry and Haggag, 2011; Fowler and Rauch, 2006).
Four classes of added benefits from literature relate to the use of BIPV as an energy source or as a building material; including design, economic, social and environmental advantages. Economic benefits are financial advantages which accrue
to users; including cost savings (Abdullah et al., 2012; Yang & Zou, 2016) and material cost reduction (Jelle et al., 2012). Environmental benefits can be on a micro- level relating to the project (Bakos et al., 2003; Sharples & Radhi, 2013) or macro/environment level relating to less embodied energy of materials (Morris, 2013). Social benefits imply a direct impact on the lives on the individuals and community at large (Montoro et al., 2011) and on the health of the public and the environment (Yang & Zou, 2016). Finally, design benefits imply architectural design gains of BIPV as a building component such as aesthetics (Jelle, 2016), view and daylighting manipulation (Montoro et al., 2011; Pagliaro et al., 2010) and as shading devices (Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016). Table 2.1 presents a summary of BIPV benefits from environmental, economic, social and design levels as synthetized from the existing body of literature. In a previous study, these benefits systematically modeled via a communication matrix for guiding deliberations in the design and decision-making process for BIPV (Attoye et al., 2018).
26 Table 2.1: Summary of BIPV adoption benefits
BIPV ASPECTS
STRATEGIC BENEFITS OF BIPV
Environmental Economic Social Design
BIPV VERSUS PV
Reduces capital expenditure for land, (Bakos et al., 2003;
Sharples & Radhi, 2013)
Removes need to transmit electricity over long distances (Bakos et al., 2003; Sharples & Radhi, 2013)
Material and Cost savings (Abdullah et al., 2012; Yang &
Zou, 2016)
Material., labour and Maintenance cost savings (Jelle, 2016; Jelle et al., 2012; Morris, 2013)
Lower assembly and mounting costs (Jelle et al., 2012).
Building costs are reduced via operational cost savings and reduced embodied energy (Morris, 2013)
Combined with grid connection, FITs; cost savings equivalent to the rate the electricity is close to zero (Abdullah et al., 2012; Hammond et al., 2012; Jelle et al., 2012)
Replacement of conventional materials (Heinstein et al., 2013)
Public demonstration of owner‘s sustainability
consciousness (Montoro et al., 2011)
Privacy -Visual cover/refraction (Farkas et al., 2013; Montoro et al., 2011)
Reduces the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) relating to the health of the public and the environment (Yang & Zou, 2016)
View and daylighting (Montoro et al., 2011; Pagliaro et al., 2010)
Aesthetic quality and integration as in buildings (Jelle, 2016)
Fixed/tracking shading devices (Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016)
Noise protection (Heinstein et al., 2013; Jelle, 2016)
Temperature control of modules (Heinstein et al., 2013; Montoro et al., 2011)
Custom BIPV can improve power output by up to 80%
(Hachem & Elsayed, 2016) Significant
advantages over
conventional PV as an energy source
Unique benefits as a building component /material
Less embodied energy of materials (Morris, 2013)
Reduction of carbon emissions (Yang & Zou, 2016)