BIPV: merging the photovoltaic with the construction industry

BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) is a multifunctional technology that unifies the photovoltaic module with the overall building outer surface providing the building with several new functions while producing a portion or total building electricity usage. Increasing the aesthetic, functional and environmental value of a building at a much lower cost than in the recent past, new PV technologies will soon originate a market growth as intense as the growth of traditional PV market has been in the last 5 years. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.