Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): Innovations in Sustainable Architectural Design
A special issue of Architecture (ISSN 2673-8945).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2025) | Viewed by 2283
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As the global demand for sustainable and renewable energy solutions escalates, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) have emerged as an innovative approach to achieving energy-efficient, sustainable architecture. BIPV systems seamlessly incorporate photovoltaic modules into building envelopes, replacing traditional building materials such as roofs, façades, windows, and skylights. This integration not only contributes to energy production but also enhances the esthetic appeal, structural functionality, and environmental performance of buildings. Despite significant technological advancements, challenges related to system efficiency, esthetic integration, cost-effectiveness, and building standards compliance remain prevalent. Therefore, continued research in optimizing BIPV design and performance is critical in terms of promoting their widespread adoption and integration into contemporary architectural practice.
This Special Issue aims to gather original research articles and comprehensive reviews highlighting recent advances, innovative technologies, practical implementations, and future trends in the field of building-integrated photovoltaics. Given the interdisciplinary nature of BIPV, contributions from architecture, engineering, materials science, and environmental sciences are strongly encouraged. This Special Issue is aligned with the journal’s scope as it addresses key architectural challenges related to sustainability, energy efficiency, technological innovation, and building performance. This Special Issue will mainly cover the following areas of focus:
- Innovative BIPV materials and technologies;
- Architectural integration and esthetic considerations for BIPV;
- Energy performance evaluation and simulation methodologies;
- Thermal management and performance optimization in BIPV;
- Life cycle analysis for and the environmental impact of BIPV systems;
- Economic feasibility and cost–benefit analyses;
- Advances in transparent and semi-transparent photovoltaic technologies;
- Case studies and practical applications of BIPV;
- Standards, regulations, and compliance issues for BIPV integration;
- Smart integration and digital technologies enhancing BIPV performance;
- Building performance monitoring and real-world BIPV applications.
Dr. Qiuhua Duan
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Architecture is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
- sustainable architecture
- renewable energy
- energy efficiency
- architectural integration
- photovoltaic technologies
- thermal management
- life cycle analysis (LCA)
- environmental performance
- cost–benefit analysis
- transparent photovoltaics
- smart building integration
- energy performance simulation
- building standards compliance
- sustainable design
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
