Developers in Australia have recently completed the installation of 1,391 solar panels into the facade, rooftop and crown of a Melbourne office tower, creating a building-integrated solar system capable of generating up to 375 kilowatts (kW) of power.

The system has been installed in the 48-story building at 435 Bourke Street, Melbourne, and is expected to supply up to 20% of the building’s base electricity demand once fully operational by the end of the year.

The project is billed as “one of the world’s first large-scale solar facades on a commercial office tower,” as Cbus Property, the building developer, claimed in a statement.

The solar panels installed were described as “Solar skin” by the developers.  The project was funded by the Australian government more than four years ago, which turned the tower’s walls into an electricity-producing surface instead of relying solely on rooftop panels.

The building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system covers more than 28,000 square feet (2,679 square meters) wrapped around the building, and expands the area available for solar generation in dense city environments where roof space is limited.

Once operational, the system would meet the building’s energy demands, while lowering cooling demand and reducing electricity drawn from the grid.

“The solar façade creates electricity but also acts as a sunshade that stops heat coming into the building,” Cbus Property Chief Executive Chris Kakoufas said. “This reduces operational costs for our tenant partners and emissions from grid electricity consumption, while creating a distinctive visual identity for the tower.”

Delivering the system needed more than simply attaching solar panels to a skyscraper.

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