Digitalizing building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) conceptual design: A framework and an example platform

The design of a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system involves considering various factors such as geophysical, technical, economic, and environmental aspects throughout its lifecycle. Although many studies have proposed approaches to support the BIPV design process, there is a need for a comprehensive BIPV design framework that integrates climate, BIPV product, regulation, technical, and economic data to create optimal BIPV solutions for individual building projects. This study proposes a solution that provides a comprehensive solution for all BIPV stakeholders including those in the solar power, energy, construction, and regulatory fields. The study examines the process of designing and analyzing BIPV in Australia during the conceptual design phase. The study employs a literature review, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey to investigate the current practices, methods, and workflows employed in BIPV design and analysis in Australia. The objective is to develop a framework that can facilitate this process. The framework includes five segments for simulation and analysis: Analysis of building design and solar performance, Assessment of BIPV system energy output, Evaluation of cost-benefit analysis for BIPV systems, Environmental assessment of BIPV systems, and Optimization of BIPV system designs. An example tool is developed based on the proposed framework and the effectiveness of the framework has been verified through a case study. The findings indicate that the suggested framework has the potential to assist professionals in the building design, construction, and BIPV industry in identifying viable BIPV design alternatives during the initial design phase. The proposed framework can serve as a valuable resource for guiding the design of BIPV projects in Australia, facilitating the development of efficient and cost-effective solutions. This, in turn, has the potential to promote the widespread adoption of BIPV in building projects across the country.