Development of Wall-Integrated Solar Energy Technologies

Renhua Liu, Wentao Duan, Guoqing He () and Qikun Wang
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Renhua Liu: College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Wentao Duan: College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Guoqing He: College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Qikun Wang: Institute for Carbon Neutrality, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-35

Abstract: Rising global energy demand, particularly in the building sector, has catalyzed a shift toward sustainable building practices. Buildings are now being redefined from mere energy consumers to potential energy providers, with building façades offering extensive areas for solar installations. This paper reviews recent advances in Wall-Integrated Solar Energy (WISE) systems that produce heat and electricity. A detailed comparison of their structures and performance is provided for various WISE systems, including building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) systems, attached sunspaces, Trombe walls, solar thermal collectors (STCs), PV–Trombe, Bio–PV, etc. The goal of this review is to understand the capacity of these technologies to produce energy via walls. The review concludes with key findings and future recommendations, aiming to guide the sustainable evolution of the building industry. Data from the literature suggest that building walls can be a promising energy source with the appropriate integration of solar energy.

Keywords: solar energy; building integrated; façades; sunspace; Trombe wall; STC; BIPV; BIPV/T; PV–Trombe; Bio–PV (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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