SOLAR Facades: Architecture + Energy Engineering Workshop

FCUL e ISCTE-IUL

You have certainly heard about solar panels on rooftops. But what about solar facades?

Building facades have plenty of free area, and costs of solar systems are decreasing more and more, so it is paramount to merge energy production with architectural creativity!

How can you test innovative ideas without having to start countless times from sketch? Is there an easy method to estimate the productivity of your solar facades?

In this workshop you will, among other things:

  • learn parametric modelling with the tool Grasshopper (an editor within Rhinoceros 3D, a Computer-aided Design software), which allows to create alternative designs by changing a couple of values in the base case;
  • determine solar radiation that reaches a building façade using the plug-in DIVA;
  • estimate the electricity production through solar panels in the façade;
  • analyse the impact of different construction materials in the outdoor visual comfort (glare);
  • conceive the design of a solar façade that maximizes the electricity production in a real case-study;
  • fabricate a 3D model and test the prototype.

The workshop will take place in the 25th and 26th of September, respectively at FCUL and ISCTE-IUL.

The maximum number of participants is 20, with the case-study exercise being conducted in groups of 4 people.

The registration fee is 50€ by participant, and can be done by filling the form.

Registration deadline is 14th of September.

Each participant must bring his/her own laptop with the software previously installed and functional (instructions will be provided after the registration has been validated).

IDL - Instituto Dom Luiz e Vitruvius FabLab - ISCTE
istar@iscte-iul.pt