Building-Integrated Photovoltaics: Prospects, Theories and Key Technologies
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Interests: green building design and evaluation methods; green and livable village technology integration; traditional village protection and renewal; interdisciplinary sustainable architectural education
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) represents a transformative approach to sustainable energy generation by seamlessly incorporating photovoltaic systems into the built environment. As a critical enabler of net-zero energy buildings and urban decarbonization, BIPV combines energy efficiency, aesthetic design, and multifunctionality to redefine modern architecture. This Special Issue, entitled “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics: Prospects, Theories and Key Technologies”, aims to consolidate cutting-edge research, innovative methodologies, and technological advancements driving the BIPV revolution. Contributions are welcome to explore the interdisciplinary nexus of material science, architectural design, energy engineering, and policy frameworks to address challenges such as cost-effectiveness, durability, energy yield optimization, and large-scale deployment. By bridging theoretical insights with practical applications, this Special Issue seeks to advance the global adoption of BIPV systems and inspire future innovations in sustainable building design.
Topics of interest for this Special Issue include the following:
- Development of lightweight, transparent, and flexible photovoltaic materials.
- Durability studies of BIPV modules under varying environmental conditions.
- Novel materials for hybrid energy harvesting (e.g., solar–thermal, thermoelectric integration).
- Aesthetic and functional design strategies for BIPV in urban and rural settings.
- Customizable PV modules for façades, windows, roofs, and shading systems.
- Digital tools (building information modeling, parametric modeling) for BIPV design optimization.
- Energy yield prediction and optimization for BIPV systems.
- Grid interaction, energy storage integration, and smart energy management.
- Life cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis of BIPV deployments.
- Thin-film, perovskite, and organic PV technologies for BIPV applications.
- Building envelope innovations (e.g., ventilated BIPV, dynamic shading).
- IoT-enabled BIPV systems for real-time monitoring and adaptive control.
- Cost–benefit analysis and financing models for BIPV projects.
- Case studies of successful BIPV implementations in diverse climates and markets.
- Circular economy approaches for BIPV recycling and reuse.
- Human-centric design (thermal comfort, daylighting) in BIPV-integrated spaces.
This Special Issue invites the submission of original research articles, reviews, and technical notes to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and accelerate the transition toward energy-positive built environments. Submissions addressing technical, economic, social, and regulatory dimensions of BIPV are encouraged.
Prof. Dr. Feng Xu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
- sustainable building design
- energy efficiency optimization
- advanced photovoltaic materials
- policy and economic frameworks
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