• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.25-32
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• 2006

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of building integrated PV application method on power generation. PV modules were integrated to a hypothetical apartment building facade in Seoul, Korea. Three different design options of PV panel mounted on exterior wall were developed for the analysis of cooling effects through ventilation. Numerical simulations using TRNSYS coupled with COMIS were executed to evaluate the design options. Their facade configurations are such as vertically installed PV panels with or without air gap between PV rear surface and exterior wall surface, and the tilted PV panels attached to the exterior wall at an angle of to the horizontal. Parametric results show that there is little difference regardless of the air 9ap width between PV rear surface and exterior wall surface. Special strategies which could effectively cool a PV panel to increase the electric power are required if we prefer to a vertical facade configuration in a building integrated PV installation. Consequently, it is expected that there is no reason for architect to install vertically PV panels with air gap unless active strategies are considered.