Team VIRTUe submits their ‘ripple’ demonstration unit for the BIPV award

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27-01-2022

Team VIRTUe submits their ‘ripple’ demonstration unit for the BIPV award

(And Kameleon Solar believes they should win!)

BIPV in the Netherlands

BIPV stands for Building-Integrated Photovoltaics, and the Netherlands is a leader in building-integrated solar energy. This is also reflected in the BENG regulation and in the Energy Performance Coefficient criteria for Dutch buildings.

The main advantage of BIPV is that it allows buildings to generate power from renewable sources while preserving aesthetics. There are several applications of BIPV, the most popular solutions being roofs, facades, and windows.

Kameleon Solar is a proud member of BIPV Nederland, the Dutch branch of the broader BIPV European framework. Entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions, and industry organizations from the solar energy sector that are part of BIPV Nederland offer you the solutions, references, information, and contacts to apply BIPV in your project. “The art of solar” is our vision, and our mission is to have our colored solar panels beautifully integrated into the building of the future, driving the transition to renewable energy in urban environments.

BIPV Award

The 2021 BIPV Award aims to draw attention to projects that demonstrate the beauty and strength of BIPV. BIPV Nederland will award the project delivered in Benelux in 2020/2021 that is the best example of “smart and beautiful building with solar energy”, having solar photovoltaic energy efficiently integrated into the building architecture.

BIPV Nederland will award the project in which the solar energy powering the building is not only smartly and beautifully integrated but also shows that the solar elements were conceived as BIPV right from the start. Therefore, the BIPV application needs to be an integral part of the original design, reflecting the vision behind it and inspiring others to integrate solar PV in their projects as well.

The jury of the contest consists of three experts from the BIPV industry: Pierluigi Bonomo, researcher and head of BIPV Advanced Building Skin Team at SUPSI; Cees Metz, architect and owner of Metz Architecten; and Angele Reinders, professor of Design of Sustainable Energy Systems at the Eindhoven University of Technology, at the University of Twente, and the Delft University of Technology.

VIRTUe’s ‘ripple’

Kameleon Solar sponsored the project developed by Team VIRTUe by manufacturing custom-made colored solar panels for the solar belt and the solar facade of their sustainable house.

VIRTUe is a multidisciplinary, international team from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and will participate in the Solar Decathlon Europe 21-22, which will take place next June in Wuppertal, Germany. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges university teams to design and build highly efficient and innovative houses powered by renewable energy.

Team VIRTUe is concurring for the BIPV award with the ripple demonstration unit, the house of the future they designed and built for the Solar Decathlon. VIRTUe wants to inspire sustainable behavior by bringing people together and creating a ripple of change, and they translated this vision into the solar-powered house they designed and built.

The house is powered by a PVT (photovoltaic thermal) system, installed behind our beautiful ColorBlast® solar panels which make up the solar facade and belt. The colored solar panels show a custom-made tessellated design that mimics the pattern used in the design of the building. An elegant and sustainable building-integrated solution that not only looks attractive but also provides more space on the roof for, amongst others, social activities and gardening.

VIRTUe’s ripple brings about both social and technical innovations that make it easier for communities to take a step toward sustainability, envisioning a new and playful living concept. In their words: “This is how we bring back the feeling of solidarity and encourage people to work together for a better world.” It’s a beautiful, sustainable revolution for BIPV.