Standardized System of Three-Dimensional Steel or Aluminum Photovoltaic and Photothermal Structures
Abstract
Globally, residential and commercial buildings consume between 20% and 40% of the energy produced in developed countries—surpassing industry and transport. In the U.S. alone, buildings use 75% of electricity and emit 30% of carbon dioxide. Experts from UC Berkeley suggest that energy self-sufficiency in buildings is crucial to achieving Net Zero goals. This paper presents the conceptual design of a prototype for a three-dimensional structural system engineered in steel or aluminum inspired by Heberto Castillo’s tridilosa and Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic principles, integrated with concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) panels as active roofing. The system is suitable for buildings with large roof spans like industrial warehouses, sports facilities, greenhouses, and more. We designed and tested the structure experimentally and through optical, mechanical, and economic simulations, confirming that it achieves equal or better performance than conventional PV setups, with a short-term ROI.
Keywords
Three-dimensional structures, concentrated photovoltaics, active roofing, energy efficiency, BIPV