Solar-Terra

In recent years, a large number of legal dispositions have entered into force in order to increase the share of renewable energies in the use of  constructing buildings. Despite this, neither the European directives nor the national programs for climate protection have genuinely contributed to the controversial acceptance of photovoltaic (PV) installations on historical monuments and sites

In terms of aesthetics, it seems indeed difficult to reconcile conventional solar modules with roofs of rural or urban centers; even with much good will in terms of architectural integration, black or blue glass surfaces sometimes reflect the sun intensely, inevitably giving rise to an impression of a foreign, even undesirable body affixed to the building.   Faced with the services meant for protection of monuments and communal sites, many owners who wished to equip their buildings with solar installations were forced to defend their interests before the courts. Although case law has ruled repeatedly and clearly in favor of photovoltaics, the final results were rarely convincing from an aesthetic point of view. Moreover, until now, the solar module manufacturers have failed to offer optically and economically sound solutions to replace the traditional terracotta roofs on historic buildings. Thus, in spite of decades of photovoltaic installations, it is only on very rare occasions that solar installations have contributed to the aesthetic improvement of the landscape. Very often, the contrary has been observed.

ISSOL „Solar-Terra“ tiles on a farm in Ecuvillens, Canton of Fribourg (CH) - August 2017 - Installation solstis.ch

With the support of the physicists, engineers and historians of architecture at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology,Neuchâtel,  our company, specialized in photovoltaic solutions for particular architectures, has developed a PV tile possessing semi-matt and traditional looking colored Terracotta. This technological feat was achieved by applying a layer of color to the inner face of the front glass, both perfectly homogenous and highly translucent, to let pass without much loss of the energy from sunlight,the sole source of power for high-performance solar cells placed underneath.

Ideally, the "Solar-Terra" tile is integrated into the roof and completely replaces the tile roof, its mounting system guaranteeing the same density as a traditional tile roof. A structured glass surface eliminates to a very large extent the reflections of light considered untimely. In this way, the color is not impacted, even in case of very strong solar radiation. The dimensions of the tiles can be customized according to the nature of the project (renovation or new construction). For its height, the "Solar-Terra" tile aligns with 40 cm of a medium tile. From case to case, it is also possible to envisage a height of 50 to 80 cm, especially for large areas of roofs and industrial buildings with a historical character. All these specifics makes it possible to realize a PV roof almost impossible to differentiate from a traditional tile roofing. An aluminum peripheral frame of the same color guarantees an installation that is both simple and solid. A frameless system is also available if the number of materials needs to be reduced to the maximum.

The number of applications offered by the "Solar-Terra" PV tile knows practically no limits: it is finally possible to install PV in visual discretion on historical monuments. Thanks to "Solar-Terra", the monumental ensembles, whole areas of rural or urban constructions and modern housing estates will retain their architectural elegance to a very large extent. This amazing feat  is realized by combining, on one hand, the advanced technologies for energy production according to the most recent standards, and on the other hand, the multiple architectural traditions. The first achievements elicited an enthusiastic response from the services of protection of monuments and sites, municipal and urban building professionals, landowners and architects.

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Photo Credits: Panorama of roofs in Nördlingen (picture-alliance / dpa), Graz (Graztourismus.at) and  Landeron, canton of Neuchâtel, CH (P. Heinstein), Family house (Massive-Wohnbau.de), Swiss alpine cabin (P. Heinstein)