What is the Solar Visuals Project?
SOLAR PANELS WITH ENDLESS AESTHETIC POSSIBILITIES. Ultimate freedom of design in energy-generating facades… Solar Visuals offers made-in-Europe solar integrated façade elements in a wide range: from semi-transparent to full-color graphics. The Solar Visuals project is built on a patented method that incorporates design visuals and colors directly into a solar panel, delivering an optimal performance and aesthetics ratio. The project utilizes trusted partners like AGC Europe, ISSOL, and Soltech for production, while also representing the entire AGC Active Glass collection for the Dutch market. This innovative approach transforms conventional building exteriors into true energy-producing canvases that are as visually striking as they are efficient.
Main Benefits of Solar Facade Solutions
The core benefits of this revolutionary technology include:
- Complete design freedom combined with high-quality solar energy production.
- Cost savings by replacing regular façade cladding and additional standard PV panels.
- Efficient energy yield – a south-facing, shade-free solar façade in the Netherlands can produce between 110 and 145 kWh/m²/year, depending on panel color.
- Seamless installation using conventional mounting systems, with the only nuance being the inclusion of rear ventilation.
- Recognition and trust, evidenced by awards like the Clean Challenge Award for Amsterdam in March 2019.
Technological Innovation and Aesthetics
The heart of the Solar Visuals innovation lies in its unique patented rasterisation method. Once a design is chosen, the image is transformed into a pattern of dots that cover the solar cell. The ingenious open spaces between these dots allow sunrays to penetrate the photovoltaic layer, achieving the optimal balance between energy yield and aesthetic quality. Designed to impress as much as it performs, this technology is proof that renewable energy solutions don’t have to be purely functional—they can be works of art too, blending artistry with scientific precision.
Seamless Integration in Architectural Designs
Solar facades by Solar Visuals are mounted as regular glass facades, using the same trusted mounting systems that architects are accustomed to. The only difference is the addition of ventilation behind the panels to ensure efficient operation. This design ensures that buildings remain both strikingly beautiful and highly functional. By integrating energy-generating panels into a building’s façade, physical structures can be effortlessly transformed into power plants, creating new opportunities for massive-scale energy production while preserving visual appeal.
Diverse Product Range and Custom Options
The Solar Visuals offering is diverse and customer-centric, embracing a variety of options to meet different design and performance requirements. SunEwat Design is an opaque energy-generating glass solution that uses spandrel areas and cladding to produce energy—combining photovoltaic material with a distinctive raster pattern and full-color visuals that are tailored to the customer’s design preferences. SunEwat Vision offers creative flexibility with innovative cell configurations and silkscreen printing, making it a natural choice for architects looking to redefine the boundaries of photovoltaic design. For those who prefer a uniform look, SunEwat Colour integrates photovoltaics into safety glass with a consistent, trendsetting color, and SunEwat Origin presents a totally uniform finished product available in either a reflective or matte style. These options empower designers to balance functionality with artistic expression, truly pushing the limits of what a building façade can achieve.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
Vision for the Future in Renewable Architecture
Imagine a future where buildings aren’t just static structures but dynamic, self-sustaining power plants that light up cities and redefine urban living. This revolutionary energy-producing façade panel concept marries renewable energy with endless aesthetic possibilities, enabling buildings to be both energy-efficient and visually attractive. The ability to integrate solar production seamlessly into traditional façades not only saves costs—by eliminating the need for separate cladding materials and rooftop PV units—but also opens up a myriad of design opportunities for architects and designers. The fusion of renewable energy with modern architectural design paves the way for environments where sustainability and beauty coexist harmoniously, setting the stage for smarter, greener urban landscapes…
