Abstract Outline

Application of Photovoltaic Panels for High Rise Buildings

How practical would it be to incorporate photovoltaic panels into a curtain wall system for application on a high rise building in Kamloops BC? This question will be explored by determining the environmental benefits, economic costs, and physical viability.

The world is beginning to move towards a sustainable “green” lifestyle and is becoming more aware of the impacts of day-to-day activities on the environment. People are now beginning to drive less and take public transit more, cities are incorporating better recycling strategies into their waste management programs, and energy efficient appliances are becoming more common. With this trend to being more environmentally friendly building footprints are becoming smaller resulting in increased density and taller buildings. In an effort to recognize these trends and plan for the future this report explores the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels to provide energy for a high rise building in Kamloops BC.

Recently the use of solar energy is starting to become a viable energy source to supplement the world’s energy demands. Solar energy has potential to become a main provider of “clean energy” as it has relatively low environmental impacts. This report compares the carbon footprints of solar energy to that of mainstream energy generation techniques such as coal plants, hydro dams and nuclear reactors. This information will be collected or determined and illustrated through the use of a table and graph.

Economics often determine whether a project will proceed. Investors are often reluctant to invest in technology with high risk margins. For this application the extra cost of the PV panels is offset by deducting the cost of the regular spandrel glass. Estimates provided by the curtain wall manufacturing company as well as the photovoltaic supplier will be provided to show the total additional cost incurred. These figures will be combined with other calculated costs for electricians and extra labor time to provide an estimate for the overall cost.

With every new technology there is a need for new techniques and methods in order to apply them. By investigating current methods of placing photovoltaic panels, as well as methods used to insert the spandrel glass into curtain wall systems, recommendations for the best way to incorporate the two together can be made. The overall results will be shown through the creation of a wall detail.

With limited energy resources and increasing demand the cost of energy will only continue to rise. Eventually there will come a point where energy costs will surpass the cost of incorporating PV panels in order to harness solar energy. This report proves the economic, environmental and physical viability through a complete analysis and design of a high rise building incorporating PV panels.