The objective is to enhance the architectural quality, the technical quality and the economic viability of PV systems in the built environment and to assess and remove non-technical barriers for their introduction as an energy-significant option. Task 7, started in 1997 and was concluded in December 2001.

It is expected that successful integration of PV systems into the built environment will contribute significantly to the future spread of PV in general. Active involvement of urban planners, architects and building engineers is required. Task 7 motivated the collaboration between these groups and PV system specialists, utility specialists, and PV building industry and other professionals involved in photovoltaics.

The primary focus of the Task was on the integration of PV into the architectural design of buildings (roofs and façades) and other structures in the built environment, such as noise barriers, parking areas and railway canopies. In addition to integration issues, Task 7 also addressed market factors, of both technical and non-technical kind.

The Task deliverables are associated in four categories (with their activities):

• Architectural Design
  A database of existing PV projects, case studies, archtectural book, design tools
• Systems Technologies
  Building integrated, non building structures, guidelines and safety issues, PV thermal systems, new electrical concepts, reliability and maintanance, interconnection issues, electrical design issues
• Non-technical Barriers
  Non-technical barriers, potential, economic issues, marketing and publicity strategies
• Demonstration and Dissemination
  Demosite, conferences, design competition, dissemination strategies, education and training

Task 7 status reports can be found in the annual reports of the IEA  PVPS Programme:

• Annual report 2003 includes the Task 7 status report by the end of 2003
• Annual report 2002 includes the Task 7 status report by the end of 2002
• Annual report 2001 includes the Task 7 status report by the end of 2001

Publications and other project results

• Designing with solar power - A source book for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), 2002
• Building Integrated Photovoltaic Power Systems. Guidelines for Economic Evaluation, October 2002 
• Market deployment strategies for PV systems in the built environment – An evaluation of Incentives, Support Programmes and Marketing Activities, September 2002 
• Potential for building integrated photovoltaics, July 2002 
• Reliability study of grid-connected PV systems: Field experience and recommended design practise, March 2002 
• Innovative Electrical Concepts, 2001 
• Building with PV - New product ppportunities. Proceedings of the Workshop held at Amsterdam RAI, Wednesday 9 May 2001
• PV in non building structures - a design guide, April 2001 
• Photovoltaics in the built environment. Proceedings of the 2nd World Solar Electric Buildings Conference: Sydney, Australia 8th-10th March 2000
• Literature survey and analysis of non-technical problems for the introduction of building integrated photovoltaic systems, March 1999 
• Photovoltaic building integration concepts. Proceedings of the IEA  PVPS Task VII workshop 11-12 February 1999, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland featuring a review of PV products

In January 2002 Task 7 completed its pvdatabase with outstanding BIPV projects and products. Almost 400 projects are covering world-wide PV applications in different building areas, e.g. facade, flat and sloped roof, integrated or on the roof mounted, louvres, etc. Moreover, two Task 7 CD-Roms are available:

• Education and training material for architects with extensive and detailed information about fundamentals, design parameters and building integration.
• Task 7 project results and documents with the project results of IEA  PVPS Task 7: reports, case studies, papers, weblinks, and more.

Besides, at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conferences in May 2000 and October 2001 following papers and press release were presented:

• Task 7 of the IEA PV Power Systems Program - Achievements and outlook, October 2001 
• Status report of Task VII of the IEA PV Power Systems Program, May 2000 
• Design Competition Photovoltaic Products for the Built Environment, May 2000.

Information

• Mr Michiel van Schalkwijk
  Ecofys
  P.O. Box 8408
  NL-3505 RK Utrecht
  The Netherlands
  Tel.: +31 30 2808300
  Fax: +31 30 2808301
  E-mail: M.vanSchalkwijk@ecofys.nl
  Task 7 specific web sites:
  • Demosite: http://www.demosite.ch/
  • Database: http://www.pvdatabase.com

You can also contact your national representative of Task 7. Presently, the following IEA  PVPS countries are participating in Task 7: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
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