BIPV - The practice of integrating Solar PV modules to enable buildings to generate electricity is increasing in popularity, as the technology improves and costs reduce. The main advantage of building integrated photovoltaics, over more traditional building methods, is that some of the construction costs can be offset by reducing the amount spent on the construction materials that the Solar PV modules replace

BIPV - Solar PV laminates are constructed from extremely robust amorphous silicon thin-film modules that are bonded to aluminium carrier panels. They have been designed to be fitted to metal standing-seam roofing sheets. The lightweight units are suitable for a wide variety of roof shapes, giving architects and engineers maximum freedom of design. Integrated Solar PV laminates enable roof profiles with straight, convex, or concave shapes to be covered successfully. The Solar PV laminates are fixed parallel to the roof surface and do not require complex mounting frames. Feature roofs, such as pitched and barrel vault profiles are manageable at pitches of up to 60 degrees from the horizontal

BIPV - Profiled Solar PV tiles that exactly match, and are interchangeable with, traditional profiled roof tiles could revolutionise the house roofing market. It would be possible to replace all or part of a profiled tile roof with profiled Solar PV tiles on existing houses and to construct profiled Solar PV tile roofs on new houses. Solar PV tiles that can be used on profiled tiled roofs have been introduced in the United States. These new Solar PV modules are produced in large format roof tile units which exactly match the shape of traditional profiled roof tiles

BIPB - Solar PV modules can be used to replace a number of architectural elements that are commonly manufactured from glass. Using Solar PV cells in curtain walling and rooflight systems can result in an economical use of solar energy and creative architectural design. Solar PV glass design consists of solar cells which are built into transparent double and triple glazing units. Solar PV glass can easily be integrated into roofs and building facade systems. It is generally available as a comprehensive package, complete with all the necessary electrical components and equipment

BIPV - Solar PV thin film can be produced using less than one per cent of the expensive raw materials used in traditional wafer based solar cells. To reduce the cost further, Solar PV thin film can also be integrated with conventional building materials

BIPV - Solar PV thin film consists of an amorphous and microscopic silicon film that absorbs both the visible and invisible components of sunlight. There has been some progress using thin films of amorphous silicon but these have not matched the performance of traditional cells