Smart building materials company ClearVue Technologies Ltd (ASX:CPV, OTCQB:CVUEF) is revitalising its ClearVue PV integrated glazing unit (IGU) and launching a new range of solar façade solutions.
The Aussie tech minnow will unveil its new offerings tonight at a private event in London’s Building Centre — a facility known for showcasing innovations in the building space.
Rigorous testing reveals the reimagined IGU slashes fabrication and assembly time by a staggering 90%. The new-and-improved design also links up with industry-standard equipment, promising cost savings and a quicker production scale-up.
ClearVue’s new solar façade solutions are also expected to deliver cost savings and higher energy outputs, meaning payback periods in certain territories could be as low as eight years (weighed against a 30-year estimated product life).
The company hopes its revitalised solutions will entice prospective customers, showcasing exactly what makes solar an attractive option for clean and green commercial buildings.
IGU 2.0
Acting ClearVue CEO and executive director Jamie Lyford said the latest IGU design led the way in fabrication and cost reductions.
“Every licensee and new potential licensee that has been exposed to this new design and approach to assembly of the ClearVue product believes this is the way forward and has supported this design initiative,” he explained.
In a nutshell, IGU 2.0 integrates new electrical connection elements that further simplify the assembly and fabrication of ClearVue’s world-leading triple and newly engineered double-glazed IGU.
Improvements to this solar clear vision glass are expected to:
- Reduce embedded carbon by roughly 30%;
- offer a double-glazed IGU design that reduces thickness by up to 48.5%;
- deliver a consequent weight reduction of up to 20 kilograms per square metre;
- reduce thickness of the previous triple-glazed IGU by 15.4%;
- provide an IGU assembly process that seamlessly integrates with standard IGU assembly production lines;
- decrease IGU assembly labour time by 90%; and
- work with advanced thermal glass coatings that materially reduce building energy use.
Lyford also said ClearVue’s new solar façade took a dramatic step forward in commercial building sustainability and architectural design.
“Now, solar energy generation is possible across nearly every surface of the building envelope. The integrated solution is a game-changer."
While solar technologies harness the power of a readily available energy source, their scale has often been limited to rooftops due to cost, weight, installation challenges and aesthetics.
Instead, ClearVue's new solar façade solutions hope to tackle these challenges head-on and make solar energy a mainstream option for commercial buildings.
With early testing returning around 100 watts peak per square metre across a building envelope, ClearVue's latest offerings are expected to make a significant impact on commercial building sustainability.
The company intends to deliver its solar solutions through a network of licensees, including glazing and curtain wall manufacturers, as well as façade experts and consultants.