*2.3. Flexibility*

Flexibility relates to the architectural freedom during the design stage. In everyday structures, such as a casual office building, it can be advantageous to use arrays of standardized BIPV modules in order to reduce costs. This could, however, lead to a rather monotonous façade. When partial shading is not an issue, a string inverter could be used for the electrical installation, which is again beneficial from a cost point of view.

In more prestigious buildings, multiple types of PV (mono-, poly-, or thin film) can be present under a variety of forms. The electrical characteristics of these panels differ due to the different electrical properties of the used material, the size, and the orientation. Since aesthetics are of focal importance [54,55], this seems to be the preferred scenario, despite the higher impact on the electrical installation. Even when partial shading effects are negligible, the variety in output parameters favours the use of module-level converters as stringing becomes difficult or even impossible.
