Economic Impact of CO2 Mitigation Devices in Sustainable Buildings

Abstract

Recent innovations in residential and commercial buildings involve the integration of low-carbon devices for the purpose of mitigating CO2 footprints. Photovoltaic (PV) modules are now commonly integrated into parts of the fabric of a building as roof tiles, asphalt shingles, facade materials or shading elements and usually blends with the aesthetics of applied buildings. This is referred to as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and when used in this way, the integrated PV modules replace conventional building envelope materials, thereby benefiting from capital cost reduction. One key aim of BIPV technology on applied buildings is sustainability, and according to recent research, ’sustainable buildings perform better than conventional buildings in terms of well-being of the occupants’. This study evaluates and assesses the economic impact of BIPV projects as a low-carbon technology on applied buildings for use by prospective BIPV investors in the building sector.