ABSTRACT
At present the most common way of installing photovoltaic are still standard applications using framed panels added on roofs or as so called energy plants installed on fields. Due to progress in fabrication of PV-panels (e.g. larger, variable sizes, multiple thicknesses) as well as fixing technique (e.g. special clamping, adhesives) a wider range of applications is possible. So from the architects’ point of view more and m ore attrac tive applications of view are built or are under construction. But in any case the electric dem ands of the electric engineers and the safety aspects of the structural engineers have to be kept in m ind – also or especially because they seem to be worlds apart. To design a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) application knowledge and background is required about m any aspects like the electric part, restrictions due to fabrication process, layout of cells on the panes, properties of glass and PV-cells including lam ination, finite element analysis, residual strength (remaining load carry ing capacity), influence of tem - peratures, approval of the building authorities and m any others things. Focus in this paper will be on the aspects related to the structural engineer.
