Imagine an electric power generator that looks and functions like a hotel, office building, manufacturing plant, hospital or retail outlet; it has no moving parts, it is noiseless, non-polluting, and operates on a free energy source.  It is called Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system.

In an increasing effort to design buildings with a life-cycle approach, renewable energy technologies have attracted the attention of the building industry for a long time.  In particular, the modularity and simplicity of photovoltaic (PV) panels make solar photovoltaics the most promising renewable energy technology for integration into buildings.  Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems represent in fact a smart combination of the construction and the solar photovoltaic industry.  When integrated into buildings, PV panels become multifunctional materials that perform the function of electrical generator and building material at the same time.   

BIPV systems will achieve a considerable share in the market.  Since the final product is a building-electrical material, photovoltaic panels can be integrated in buildings by displacing conventional materials and producing electricity directly for the building itself.  BIPV systems can be integrated in facade applications such as curtain walls or awnings, or in roof applications such as skylights or canopies.