Photovoltaic curtain wall design for UAE office building

What is photovoltaic curtain wall?

Photovoltaic Curtain Wall generates energy in the building implementing solar control by filtering effect, avoiding infrared and UV irradiation to the interior.

Are vacuum integrated photovoltaic curtain walls performance-driven?

The vacuum integrated photovoltaic (VPV) curtain wall has garnered widespread attention from scholars owing to its remarkable thermal insulation performance and power generation ability. However, there is a lack of in-depth, performance-driven optimal design that considers the mutually constraining functions of the VPV curtain wall.

Do VPV curtain walls save energy?

According to the literature review, VPV curtain walls exhibit significant potential for energy savings owing to their excellent thermal insulation performance . Furthermore, the shading effect of PV cells can alleviate discomfort glare and enhance occupants’ visual comfort .

What is photovoltaic architectural glazing?

Photovoltaic architectural glazing enables buildings to produce extra energy while maintaining their design, functionality, and views. They enhance thermal comfort and help prevent the greenhouse effect. A standard curtain wall offers no return on investment.

What is a VPV curtain wall?

The VPV curtain wall consists of a piece of CdTe-based PV laminate glass, an air cavity, and a sheet of vacuum glazing. The solar cells are etched into strips by lasers, and the transmittance of the VPV sample can be adjusted by changing the arrangement density of the strip solar cells.

Can partitioned design improve the performance of VPV curtain wall?

In summary, partitioned design method of the VPV curtain wall can improve the performance of the conventional VPV curtain wall with the same overall PV coverage. Fig. 17. Comparison of VPV windows with different PV cells distributions of coverage of 40%. 3.3.2. The optimal case obtained using TOPSIS