Integration Of Third Generation Solar Cells With Glass Block For The Construction Of Translucent Photovoltaic Building Envelopes

The integration of third generation Dye-sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC) with the glassblock allows to obtain a building product able to produce clean energy, customizable in terms of colours, transparency levels and fi nishing, for the assembly of multifunctional, translucent and photovoltaic building components, which can be easily integrated for the construction of energy efficient andactive building envelopes also in adverse climate areas, such as the Mediterranean and subtropical zones. The paper illustrates 4 different hypotheses of integration of the DSSC with the glassblock and for each provides an evaluation of photovoltaic production and energy performance (thermal and optical). The aspects related to the dry assembly system of the DSSC-integrated glassblocks for the construction of the photovoltaic building components will also be illustrated, together with some considerations about the necessity of rethinking photphotovoltaic at the prospect of building integration.