Dissemination
APRIL 20-24, 2026
ETSAM INVESTIGA
The UPM team organised the activity “Arquitectura Solar: Recorrido por el demostrador BIPV de la ETSAM, Solar Architecture: Tour of the ETSAM BIPV Demonstrator)” within the framework of the ETSAM INVESTIGA week, promoted by the Subdirección de Investigación, Innovación y Doctorado of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM‑UPM), aimed at strengthening research activities within the School. The activity consisted of a brief introductory session on BIPV, followed by a guided technical visit to the experimental demonstrator developed within the RINGS‑BIPV project.
MARCH 25, 2026
Workshop: Herramientas para impulsar los Distritos de Energía Positiva, Almería, 25 de marzo de 2026
The project team presented “The RINGS-BIPV project” at a free, in-person workshop open to the general public, held in the framework of the XX Congreso Ibérico y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Energía Solar. The audience included conference participants, students and general public. During the session, followed by discussion among the participants, Nuria Martin presented the project’s main outcomes, highlighting the important role of BIPV in building refurbishment and the transition towards more energy-efficient buildings.
MARCH 23-25, 2026
XX Congreso Ibérico y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Energía Solar
The RINGS-BIPV team participated in the XX Congreso Ibérico y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Energía Solar, held in Almería, Spain, where they presented three research papers related to activities developed in the RINGS-BIPV project:
The presentation “BIPV Research and Innovation for Building Renovation: The RINGS-BIPV Project”, with the participation of both CIEMAT and UPM teams, summarised the main outcomes of the project, highlighting its integrated approach, combining experimental validation, advanced modelling, and practical design guidelines to support accurate performance prediction and accelerate the adoption of BIPV systems in building renovation, including urban and heritage contexts.
The presentation “Performance of Bifacial PV Canopy and Impact of Albedo” reported on an experimental study of a bifacial photovoltaic canopy installed on a rooftop in Madrid, Spain, as part of the RINGS-BIPV project, demonstrating how higher-albedo surfaces increase rear-side irradiance and improve the energy yield of bifacial PV systems, and highlighting the challenges associated with accurately assessing the performance of small-scale bifacial BIPV installations in complex urban environments.
The presentation “Performance of BIPV Systems in East and West Façades: The Role of Shading” reported on an eight-year experimental analysis of BIPV systems installed on east- and west-facing ventilated façades in Madrid, with results showing that seasonal shading from nearby deciduous trees can substantially reduce energy yield and system performance, and highlighting the importance of accurately characterising shading conditions for the reliable design, modelling and assessment of BIPV façade systems.
MARCH 23-25, 2026
XX Congreso Ibérico y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Energía Solar
The UPM team participated in the XX Congreso Ibérico y XVI Congreso Iberoamericano de Energía Solar, held in Almería, Spain, presenting a research paper entitled “Evaluación experimental en condiciones reales de elementos fotovoltaicos para integración arquitectónica en la cubierta de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid.” The paper reports on a real-world experimental study of 32 BIPV modules installed on a rooftop in Madrid. The results demonstrate that their energy performance varies significantly depending on design parameters—particularly colour and aesthetic treatments—while also showing that well-designed solutions can achieve a balanced compromise between architectural integration and energy production.
december 12, 2025
Webinar BIPV Innovative Solutions and Energy Simulation
The UPM and CIEMAT teams participated in the webinar “BIPV Innovative Solutions and Energy Simulation”, organized by the CIEMAT team in conjunction with the MDPI Buildings Special Issue “Advances in Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) for Sustainable Buildings.”
During the webinar, the UPM team delivered the presentation “BIPV Solutions and Potential in Building Retrofit”, highlighting the RINGS-BIPV project and showcasing strategies, practical applications, and the potential of integrating photovoltaic systems into building renovation projects.
The CIEMAT team presented the general guidelines for “Modeling and Simulation of BIPV Systems,” emphasizing the importance of accurately quantifying incident solar irradiance and the critical role of boundary conditions in ensuring reliable energy performance assessments—one of the key objectives of the RINGS-BIPV project.
NOVEMBER 25, 2025
Workshop Plan Estatal I+D+i en la ETSAM - Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento
The UPM team participated in the workshop on the “Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento” national call within the framework of the Spanish R&D Plan (Plan Estatal I+D+i), organised by the Subdirección de Investigación, Innovación y Doctorado of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM‑UPM). The session brought together ETSAM researchers to share first‑hand experiences in preparing, obtaining, and managing nationally funded research projects, with the aim of providing guidance and practical insights for future applicants. During the workshop, the UPM team presented their experience with the RINGS‑BIPV project, highlighting key aspects of its development and implementation within this funding framework.
NOVEMBER 24-26, 2025
2nd Integrated Photovoltaic Conference
The UPM team participated in the 2nd Integrated Photovoltaic Conference, held in Florence, Italy, where they presented a poster entitled “Field Testing and Behaviour Assessment of Multiple BIPV Components in Madrid, Spain”. The poster reported on a field study conducted in Madrid, comparing a range of commercially available BIPV modules from several European manufacturers, and evaluating their real-world performance, durability, and architectural integration, with the aim of supporting the broader adoption of BIPV in building energy renovation.
SEPTEMBER 22-26, 2025
42nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (42nd EU PVSEC)
CIEMAT team participated in the 42nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, held in Bilbao, Spain, and presented a poster about BIPV performance simulation within the RINGS-BIPV project: “BIPV simulation with conventional tools and models; do we need more accuracy?”
NOVEMBER 11, 2025
UPM News newsletter
The UPM team contributed to a dissemination article published by the UPM Sala de Prensa (UPM News newsletter) entitled “Edificios históricos y sistemas fotovoltaicos: un tándem posible”, presenting research developed within the framework of the RINGS‑BIPV project. The article highlights the potential of BIPV in the renovation of historic buildings, showing—based on 41 real case studies—that these systems can effectively reduce energy consumption and emissions while preserving architectural and cultural heritage.
OCTOBER 28-29, 2024
Bern (Switzerland)
The CIEMAT team participated in the Advanced Building Skins International Conference held in Bern, Switzerland, and presented the communication “Generation of high-definition DSM from free and open source data sources and tools for BIPV optimal design”.
MAY 29-30, 2025
Construir en Clave Sostenible (CCS)
The UPM team participated in the inaugural sessions of the National Conference “Construir en Clave Sostenible”, held in Madrid, Spain, with the publication “Sistemas Fotovoltaicos Integrados (BIPV) en la renovación de edificios antiguos”. This research addresses the opportunity to incorporate BIPV systems into old buildings with historical significance, which typically represent the highest energy consumption within the building stock. The study analyses four case studies, demonstrating that it is feasible to integrate BIPV while preserving the architectural heritage values, thereby aiming to raise awareness and promote the adoption of these solar technologies.
June 25-28, 2024
PLEA 2024: (Re)thinking Resilience
The RINGS-BIPV team participated in the 37th PLEA International Conference, held in Wroclaw, Poland, presenting a research paper entitled “Renovation of Typological Clusters with Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems. Analysis of the characteristics of each typological cluster in Spain and proposals for renovation using BIPV systems.” This study presents a classification of the diverse typological clusters identified within the entirety of the Spanish residential building stock. Its objective is to establish standardised interventions for each of these clusters when employing BIPV systems, with consideration given to their distinctive formal characteristics.
May 7, 2024
FOTOPLAT Annual General Assembly
At the Annual General Assembly of FOTOPLAT (the Spanish Photovoltaic Platform, https://fotoplat.org/), Nuria Martín Chivelet presented the BIPV activity of CIEMAT and, in particular, the project RINGS-BIPV, also introducing the UPM role in the coordinated project.
February 16, 2024
Martín Chivelet, N. (2024). Evolución y perspectivas de la integración de fotovoltaica en edificios en España. Revista Digital Del Cedex, (203), 69-71
The article reviews the evolution of BIPV technology in Spain and its current situation and prospects. The RINGS-BIPV Project is introduced as an example of Spanish collaborative work toward the development of holistic BIPV energy rehabilitation solutions for buildings.
February 15, 2024
Jornada sobre autoconsumo solar urbano, ingeniería e innovación
October 24-26, 2023
International conference Urban Planning & Architectural Design for Sustainable Development
The UPM group was part of the 8th edition of the international conference Urban Planning & Architectural Design for Sustainable Development, organized by IEREK in Florence (Italy), with a contribution entitled ‘Converting existing Mediterranean districts into Positive Energy Districts: a design and implementation methodology’.
September 18-22, 2023
40th European Solar Photovoltaic Conference and Exhibition (40th EU PVSEC).
The RINGS-BIPV team participated in the 40th European Solar Photovoltaic Conference and Exhibition (40th EU PVSEC) held in Lisbon (Portugal), presenting a poster and a paper entitled ‘RINGS-BIPV project: analysis of PV solutions for retrofitting buildings under Mediterranean climate conditions’, published in the Conference Proceedings. The aim was to present to the PV European community the project’s main objectives and some preliminary results.
June 27-30, 2023
International event Energy in Built Environment COST Action PED-EU-NET Conference
The UPM team participated last June in the international event Energy in Built Environment COST Action PED-EU-NET Conference, with a long paper entitled ‘Technical feasibility of converting existing Mediterranean districts into Positive Energy Districts: a methodology and case study’, organized by LNEG – Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, and hosted in the city of Lisbon, in Portugal.
June 27-30, 2023
International Conference on Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability
Some of the UPM team members participated in the International Conference on Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability organized by Itecons – Institute for Research and Technological Development in Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability, in Funchal (Portugal), with a paper entitled ‘Green Walls: Evaluation Of Thermal and Acoustic Performance To Improve Urban Comfort’.
June 7, 2023
International Social Housing Festival Barcelona (ISHF)
Some of the members of the UPM group participated in the International Social Housing Festival Barcelona (ISHF), held in Florence (Italy), and organized by Housing Europe. The long paper presented for this conference is entitled ‘Co-op housing models & frameworks for environmental and social sustainability’, which presents a theoretical framework of how collaborative housing can be a tool to promote the energetic, sustainable, and inclusive transition of cities.
June 6, 2023
Participation of the CIEMAT Group in the CEDEX dissemination webinars “Sabemos lo que hacemos”.
With the aim of sharing CIEMAT’s BIPV activity and, in particular, announcing the RINGS-BIPV project development, Nuria Martín introduced the recent participation in BIPV research projects. She also summarized the international report recently published under Task 15 of the International Energy Agency (IEA-PVPS-Task 15), about the BIPV technological innovation system in Spain, coauthored by CIEMAT and UPM group.
March 15, 2023
Participation of the CIEMAT Group in the Conference "Energy rehabilitation of buildings in Spain. New trends".
February 8-10, 2023
International conference 'Addressing old and new social challenges: knowledge, policies, inclusion'
The UPM team attended the international conference ‘Addressing old and new social challenges: knowledge, policies, inclusion’ INGENIO PhD Days 2023, held in Valencia (Spain), with the contribution ‘Design of human-centric instruments to facilitate Positive Energy Districts’ creation within Mediterranean cities’.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most BIPV module’s structure is glass-glass (PV glass laminate), meaning that the module’s frontsheet and backsheet are glass.
In principle, all PV technologies can be used for BIPV manufacturing, although crystalline silicon (monocrystalline and multicrystalline) is the most used.
BIPV modules are available in a wide range of colors. Additionally, some BIPV manufacturers offer the possibility to produce colors under request.
There are two international and two European standards related to BIPV. The two European standards have been adopted as UNE standards in Spain:
- IEC 63092-2:2020. Photovoltaics in buildings – Part 1: Requirements for building-integrated photovoltaic modules. This document is based on the European Standard EN 50583-1:2016
- IEC 63092-2:2020. Photovoltaics in buildings – Part 2: Requirements for building-integrated photovoltaic systems. This document is based on EN 50583-2:2016
A BIPV module is considered a construction product providing a function as defined in the European Construction Product Regulation CPR 305/2011.