Concentrating PhotoVoltaic glazing (CoPVG) system: Modelling and simulation of smart building facade

This paper presents an innovative Concentrating Glazing system to be adopted in smart building facades: The Concentrating Photovoltaic Glazing system (CoPVG). The device consists of a double-glazing panel integrating a series of concentrating lenses. A thin layer of PV cells is then placed at the lenses' focus. The peculiar lens design can produce, by using the Total Internal Reflection (TIR), a seasonal effect with more light entering the building at low incidence angles (i.e. in the winter months) and higher electricity production at high incidence angles (i.e. in the summer months). To investigate this device's performance, a suitable dynamic simulation tool has been developed in MATLAB environment. Furthermore, to investigate active (electric energy production) and passive (building insulation and solar gains variations) effects related to the building integrated devices, the developed CoPVG simulation tool is implemented in a building energy performance simulation one (DETECt). To show the potential of the innovative device, a case study relative to a multi-floor office building integrating the innovative CoPVG prototype is investigated. Conventional and semi-transparent PV windows are also investigated for comparative purposes. By using the novel facade system, interesting energy savings ranging from 30 to 60 % for the investigated weather zones can be obtained. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This paper introduces an innovative Concentrating Photovoltaic Glazing system (CoPVG) that utilizes Total Internal Reflection to achieve a seasonal effect of increasing light entering the building in winter and higher electricity production in summer. By developing a simulation tool to study the performance of the device and implementing it in DETECt for building energy performance simulation, the potential for energy savings ranging from 30 to 60% is demonstrated.