When energy meets beauty
The Novartis Pavilion is a meeting place for learning and sharing about science and medicine. Located on the Novartis campus in Basel, its curved and illuminated facade stand out in this landmark of contemporary architecture. The ASCA® solar solutions are at the center of the zero-energy façade revealing a large-scale light show created by artists inspired by science and innovation.
The digital facade of the building is made of thousands of transparent ASCA® modules in the shape of diamonds and triangles. Together with iart, studio for media architectures, ASCA has made possible to realize the wish of the architecture office AMDL CIRCLE to create an architectural sustainable media façade capable of generating the energy it consumes. ASCA has supported the designer to create the whole solar system with specific shapes of modules integrating LEDs to form a net-like curtain wall that follows the structure of the building. The solar façade gives life to the building while offering a net-zero energy balance.
M² OF ENERGY
1,300
MODULES PRODUCED
12,000
DIFFERENT SHAPES
10
Customized and integrated architectural solar solutions
The ASCA® solar solutions transform the architecture powering the building envelope. Energy is aesthetically and seamlessly integrated, the architecture is revealed. Flexible with a high design freedom, the ASCA® modules offer Building Integrating Photovoltaics BIPV solutions suitable for any type of architecture. It can be laminated in many construction materials such as polycarbonate, glass or ETFE offering multifunctional element that produce energy.
Transparent and highly customizable, the ASCA® solutions offer a wide range of possibilities to meet the architect or the designer’s idea. They can be produced in any shape and size and are adapted to small to big surfaces. Produced in blue, green, gray or red, they become part of the architecture and design. Being flexible, the solar solutions can be bent to follow the curves of the buildings.
The ASCA® solutions enable aesthetically creative and energy-efficient solutions that transform buildings and can be integrated in many places: media facade, curtain wall, balustrades, shading systems, street furniture… Solar active building envelopes are one key solution for more energy-efficient construction.
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LOW-CARBON SOLUTIONS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
Building use about 40% of global energy consumption and are an important piece of our transition to lower-carbon cities. BIPV solutions offer concrete solutions to make building more energy-efficient, making a major contribution to climate change.
ASCA® photovoltaic solutions are carbon-based solar cells using neither silicon nor rare components. Produced on an industrial scale with a roll-to-roll process, the ASCA® modules consist in very fine layers of polymers coated onto a thin film resulting in a sensible use of raw materials. Being 100% recoverable, they offer a low carbon footprint and transform the building industry making it more environmentally friendly. Being highly sensitive to light, the ASCA® modules produce energy even in low light conditions and when partially shaded, thus maximizing energy production.
The modules power the thousands of LEDs that cover the building's façade offering a zero-energy media façade. Over a year, the energy saving is about 100 to 150MWh depending on the media broadcasted on the façade.
Media library
WE MAKE YOUR IDEAS COME TRUE
ASCA offers a full service to develop BIPV projects. On top of the organic photovoltaic components, ASCA also offers: design support, planning, system integration including connection and electronic system.
- Definition of the use case
- Innovative concept not possible with traditional PV
- Combination of solar energy and design
- A unique and customized solution
- Design thinking approach
- Collaboration with a dedicated team
- Prototyping phases throughout the project
- Architectural integration of the system
- Connection and electronic system
- Small to large series
- High quality standard
Address
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+33 (0) 2 40 38 40 00
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20, Rue Chevreul
44100 Nantes
France -
Steigweg 24
97318 Kitzingen
Germany
This project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the German Energy Solutions Initiative.
German Energy Agency (dena)
dena is the centre of expertise for energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and intelligent energy systems. As the Agency for Applied Energy Transition we contribute to the attainment of energy and climate policy objectives. We develop solutions and put them into practice, both nationally and internationally. In order to achieve this, we bring together partners from politics and industry across all sectors - with an enthusiasm for one of the most exciting chal-lenges of our time. dena’s shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany and the KfW Group. www.dena.de/en
German Energy Solutions Initiative
The transfer of energy expertise, the promotion of foreign trade and the facilitation of international development cooperation are part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative, which is coordinated and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The initiative offers networking and business opportunities in Germany and abroad, it showcases reference projects and facilitates capacity building. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en
Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (RES Programme)
With the RES Programme, the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency – helps German renew-able energy companies enter new markets. The installation of climate-friendly energy technology projects in attrac-tive target markets is accompanied by comprehensive information dissemination, marketing and training pro-grammes. These flagship projects, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action within the German Energy Solutions Initiative, aim to showcase high-quality German renewable energy technology and help participating companies gain a foothold in new markets. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en/res
Photo credits: @Novartis, @Iart