Studies on Optimal Application of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal Facade for Commercial Buildings in Australia

Both electrical power and useful thermal energy can be obtained from building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal systems (BIPV/T) which have the potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings. Double-skin façades (DSF) have been implemented for enhancing energy efficiency as well as improving indoor thermal comfort. This paper explored the performance of a combination of BIPV/T and DSF, which included the thermal performance of this novel building envelope as well as the indoor comfort performance through a simulation analysis for a test building in Sydney, Australia. To date, the work has focused on two operation modes of the BIPV/T-DSF system comprising fan-driven ventilation mode in summer time and non-ventilation mode in winter. A comparative simulation analysis of the two operation modes and the building without adopting the BIPV/T-DSF system was presented in terms of the thermal response of the indoor space.