New BIPV applications come to life! At the end of 2025, the project partner PIZ s.r.l. completed the first demonstration site of the Seamless-PV project.
Specifically, PIZ created thermal and acoustic insulating panels with integrated photovoltaic layer capable of both insulating the building’s façades and producing renewable electricity. The work was carried out at the Zecca Prefabbricati offices in Cosio Valtellino (Italy), a two-story, building featuring a rhomboidal floor plan with recessed sides and balconies and windows. The new cladding, called ePiz, was applied to four of the building’s opaque walls, each facing four different directions.
Description of module prototypes
The ePIZ is a panel composed by 45 mm of insulation with 7 mm of mortar finishing coupled with glass-glass PV modules produced by 3S, a swiss company producing PV panels. The PV layer has a coloured 3mm fully tempered front glass and a 2.1 mm semi tempered rear glass with half cut solar cells coupled with double EVA encapsulant sheet. A junction box is attached at the back of the module containing all necessary electrical components. Silicone adhesive was used to join the surface of the mortar with the rear glass surface of the glass-glass PV module.
The panels are connected at the supporting wall thanks horizontal aluminium H-profiles and screws (dry system).
The panels are custom made, in the Demo site the size of the modules is 916 mm x 471 mm, the weight of this module is 15 kg and its nominal peak power is 75 watts. So, this technology is capable of offering energy production of 170-180 W/m2 and has a weight of 35 kg/m2.
The finishing options range from transparent glass, where the solar cells and distinctive PIZ pattern remain visible, to coloured glass that envelops the entire surface, option chosen for the Demo site
Demo characteristics
A total of 134 m2 of façade was cladded, using 288 ePIZ panels that generate 20 kW of power.
Four inverters were installed, one every two strings of 36 panels per each façade. The system is fully monitored for long-term energy efficiency.
