The 2009 German Solar Prize, an annual award for future-oriented projects on the application and use of solar energy, was won by the Elementar construction group who designed and built the innovative zero energy house in Tübingen, Germany. The photovoltaic system of the building which is based on the German Passive House standard, was designed and constructed by specialists from Sunways AG. As general contractor, Sunways AG were able to develop technically feasible solutions early on in the planning phase in order to implement the architects' ideas and supply tailor-made solar modules to be integrated into the façade and fitted onto the roof.
Housing ten family apartments and built according to the German Passive House standard, Elementar was planned and constructed as a zero energy residential building in a joint project by 10 building owners. The aim was to construct a building which would have an annual average primary energy balance of zero and therefore zero energy costs. By making active use of solar power, the building envelope itself was to generate energy for both hot water and electricity.
The architects' design included a simple, compact structure, high-level thermally insulated wood panel wall elements and a solar system.
Accordingly, customised, glass film modules with highly efficient 6-inch multicrystalline Solar Cells from Sunways were integrated into the south and west façades. Together with the standard photovoltaic system from Sunways AG on the roof surface, the photovoltaic installation provides most of the building's primary energy savings totalling around 52,400 kilowatt hours per year. The feed-in income from the photovoltaic system and the cost savings from the façade collector for heating domestic water exceed the annual costs for electricity and heating.
© Sunways AG 2010
