London, Ontario: On September 21 Solstex, by Elemex®, announced a new solar facade system that enables architects to incorporate lightweight solar panels into a building’s facade to generate renewable energy.
A recent installation at the office of architect firm EllisDon in London, Ontario
Solstex turns sunlight into energy by leveraging high-efficiency, weather resistant solar panels – not on the rooftops of condo and office towers but on their sides. The cladding can not only reduce a building’s carbon footprint, but also earn LEED credits.
Hugh Lowry, Special Projects Engineer at Elemex, says the financial savings could cover the cost of installation in as little as 5 years, depending on the project.
Solstex solar panels are made from thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology encapsulated between two sheets of heat-strengthened glass and adhered to the exterior wall using Elemex’s proprietary Unity attachment technology. The Unity system allows architects and builders to create surface veneers on the same plane while integrating the solar panels with stone, ceramic and aluminum.
“Solstex is ideal for tall buildings in urban environments where the footprint is minimized and the roofs are small,” says Lowry. “Solstex solar panels on the facade makes net zero high-rise buildings possible.”
At just 3.5 lbs per square foot, Solstex panels are easy to install and deliver significantly more energy than many other photovoltaic (PV) panels. The 16.9 W/sq. ft. results in over 420 W per large panel. Solstex presents a look of floating glass and is UV resistant to maintain appearance over time.
“The need to source reliable, renewable energy is at an all-time high,” explains Lowry. “Between the price of solar coming down and the need for environmental solutions in the energy market, the time is right to introduce a building product like Solstex.”
Elemex® Architectural Facade Systems is based in London, Ontario.