Soaking Up the Sun Solar Spanish tile at work. Photo provided by OBMI.
By Lavina Liburd, OBMI BVI We have a surplus of sunny skies here in the Caribbean. This
alternating current used in modern electrical systems and battery
simple fact has long captured the imagination of architects,
packs are often used to store excess power. Building Integrated
environmentalists and property owners and led us to the dream
Photovoltaics (BIPV) take an architectural approach to solar
of powering our homes, schools and places of work with solar
power production, turning the building itself into a power plant.
energy. This dream has been variously thwarted by economic,
BIPV products include roofing tile and shingles, standing seam
aesthetic, functional, and legislative challenges. Proponents
metal roofing, and photovoltaic laminated safety glass. Because
of solar power continue to work on all these fronts, but from an
the solar technology is integrated into building components that
architect’s point of view, solar has come a long way.
would normally be installed by standard tradesmen, most BIPV
Solar power systems have traditionally consisted of roof-mounted
technologies don’t require specialty installers, and installation
panel units, angled to achieve maximum insolation and efficiency,
costs are largely eliminated. There is minimal additional work for
and with obstructions carefully removed. Many consider solar
the electrician and almost none for the contractor.
panels to be ugly protrusions, and fastener penetrations through roof cladding have the potential to cause leaks. The advent
Solar Standing Seam Roofing
of Building Integrated Photovoltaics promises to make solar
Thin photovoltaic films which can be installed on metal panel
installations more cost-effective and blend them seamlessly into
roofing have been available for some time. However, a number
the overall aesthetic of the home or commercial building.
of companies have now developed standing-seam panels which
The term photovoltaic refers to what are typically called solar
are sold with the PV film already laminated onto the panel and
cells. These are the units which absorb the energy of light and
pre-wired for easy connection to an inverter. One example is the
emit it as direct electrical current. A solar power generating
FusionSolar™ system by Custom-Bilt Metals.
system adds an inverter to convert the direct current to the
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BVI PROPERTY & YACHT
Published by aLookingGlass Ltd.