ABSTRACT
Building integration of solar systems can refer to the roof or the façade of a building. Building Integrated (BI) solutions are of great interest since they have several advantages, such as aesthetically pleasing roof or facade integration, on-site energy generation, higher electrical and/or thermal conversion efficiencies, and better use of space. The term “building integration’’ is generally classified in two ways: (i) Building Integrated Solar Energy (BISE); and (ii) Building Applied Solar Energy (BASE). These are defined as:
• BISE – when a solar energy system such as photovoltaics or solar thermal system is directly integrated within the building as a replacement of building fenestrations; for example, in a building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) system where PV is the replacement for an existing building component or where no added building components are required to integrate such PV systems within the new buildings.
• BASE – when a solar energy system such as PV and solar thermal collectors are installed within the existing building or new building without any replacement of building fenestrations; a good example of a building applied photovoltaics (BAPV) system is PV integrated into a roof or a solar thermal collector installed into a roof without any replacement of building materials.
