Solstex® – Solar Facade System – Reclad
When a chance came up to try new and innovative products on a major contractor’s local office, Elemex® jumped at the opportunity. Two new product lines – Solstex® and Stonitex® – were selected to highlight the capability and ingenuity of the facade company. Along the base of the south and east walls, Cambrian Black granite in a polished finished was selected. This product is sourced from North American quarries, and provides a timeless look that has become expected of natural stone products.
The majority of this facade is Solstex® – the newest product offering from Elemex. Solstex® is a renewable energy product offering that generates clean energy for use within any building. This project utilizes thin-film CdTe solar technology to generate electricity from solar irradiance.
Over 1200 sq. ft. of Solstex® was installed, representing a DC wattage of 18.4 kW. The AC output of the project is 15 kW. In its first year, this photovoltaic facade will generate approximately 17500 kWh, enough to power 100 60W light bulbs for a full year.
EllisDon
“Our favorite part of the Solstex® system is its dual functionality. With traditional photovoltaic systems, you need to worry about compatibility/warranty issues with other building envelope elements, and the systems themselves have relatively long payback periods. With Solstex® you get the energy benefits from the PV and you get to discount the cost of the system against traditional cladding materials. On top of that, the system is visually stunning.”
JP Frydrychowicz, P.Eng., Director, Power & Building Systems, EllisDon Corporation
360° Advantage
Collaboration between EllisDon and the technical team at Elemex® was essential to the reclad of the existing EllisDon London Office. With the growing interest in Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), using the new Solstex® – solar facade system by Elemex® was a great opportunity to install a facade with a return on investment.
Along with the financial benefits of using Solstex® come the environmental advantages. Photovoltaics generate clean energy which reduce carbon emissions when compared to oil-based energy sources. EllisDon is a company that promotes corporate responsibility and sustainable building design and Elemex® was able to help make this happen.
