Energy flexibility in buildings is gaining momentum with the introduction of new European directives that enable buildings to manage their own energy demand and production, by storing, consuming or selling electricity according to their need. The transition towards a low-carbon energy system, through the promotion of on-site energy production and enhancement of self-consumption, can be supported by building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) technologies. This paper investigates the aesthetic and technological integration of hidden coloured PV modules in architecturally sensitive areas that seem to be the best possibility to favour a balance between conservation and energy issues. First, a multidisciplinary methodology for evaluating the aesthetic and technical integration of PV systems in architecturally sensitive area is proposed, referring to the technologies available on the market. Second, the experimental characterisation of the technical performance specific BIPV modules and their comparison with standard modules under standard weather condition are analysed, with the aim of acquiring useful data for comparing the modules’ integration properties and performance. For this purpose, new testbeds have been set up to investigate the aesthetic integration and the energy performances of innovative BIPV products. The paper describes the analyses carried out to define the final configuration of these experimental testbeds. Finally, the experimental characterisation at standard test conditions of two coloured BIPV modules is presented and the experimental design for the outdoor testing is outlined.

Coloured building integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) may contribute to meeting the decarbonisation targets of European and other countries. Nevertheless, their market uptake has been hindered by a lack of social acceptance, technical issues, and low economic profitability. Being able to assess in advance the influence of the coloured layers on a module’s power generation may help reduce the need for prototyping, thereby allowing optimisation of the product performance by reducing the time and costs of customised manufacturing. Therefore, this review aims at investigating the available literature on models and techniques used for assessing the influence of coloured layers on power generation in customised BIPV products. Existing models in the literature use two main approaches: (i) detailed optical modelling of the layers in the module’s stack, including coloured layers, and (ii) mathematical elaboration of the final product’s measured characteristics. Combining the two approaches can provide improved future models, which can accurately assess every single layer in the module’s stack starting from measured parameters obtained with simpler equipment and procedures.

Coloured BIPV installations require an accurate balance between aesthetic and energy aspects. This study explores the integration of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) modules into building envelopes to enhance energy efficiency while maintaining aesthetic appeal. To achieve this goal, a real-scale mock-up was realized within the INFINITE project at the PV Integration Lab of Eurac Research to investigate the influence of aesthetic features (mainly given by different colors) on the energy performance of BIPV modules. Supported by an extensive monitoring campaign, this work delves into the performance of BIPV modules of five colors and finishes in both indoor and real exposure conditions. These modules serve as the outer layer of a prefabricated rain screen facade for building retrofitting. The study highlights that darker colors exhibit higher efficiency under standard test conditions but are also correlated with higher operating temperatures. Consequently, the differences in energy efficiency among the colors, observed during indoor tests, are significantly reduced when analyzing the energy produced under real exposure conditions. This observation underscores the intricate balance between maximizing energy generation and mitigating thermal stress on BIPV modules, while preserving aesthetic features. By providing empirical evidence of color-specific performance characteristics, this work offers insightful results for colored BIPV research and customized product optimization.

Cities and nations worldwide are pledging to energy and carbon neutral objectives that imply a huge contribution from buildings. High-performance targets, either zero energy or zero carbon, are typically difficult to be reached by single buildings, but groups of properly-managed buildings might reach these ambitious goals. For this purpose we need tools and experiences to model, monitor, manage and optimize buildings and their neighborhood-level systems. The paper describes the activities pursued for the deployment of an advanced energy management system for a multi-carrier energy grid of an existing neighborhood in the area of Milan. The activities included: (i) development of a detailed monitoring plan, (ii) deployment of the monitoring plan, (iii) development of a virtual model of the neighborhood and simulation of the energy performance. Comparisons against early-stage energy monitoring data proved promising and the generation system showed high efficiency (EER equal to 5.84), to be further exploited.