Estimating life-cycle carbon mitigation potential of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) glazed façade at the city scale

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) at a city scale, using the densely populated city of Hong Kong as a case study. The current state of the art highlights a growing interest in renewable energy integration for urban environments. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the urban energy reduction potential and lifecycle assessment (LCA) of BIPV systems in high-density areas. Utilizing bottom-up physics-based urban building energy modeling and LCA methods, we found that BIPV could annually save 2.1TWh of electricity and reduce 1,386,000 tons of carbon emissions in Hong Kong. Our research reveals energy payback and carbon payback periods of 9.3 years and 8.2 years, respectively. This study contributes valuable insights into the environmental benefits and long-term sustainability of implementing BIPV systems in urban settings.