Writer: Shirelle Lee

As climate change becomes more severe, different sectors of society have been increasingly concerned about sustainable development that protects our future environment. The business sector is one of them, and an increasing number are actively involved in developing green projects. A commercial building in Melbourne, following this trend, is building a "solar facade" using a solar technology called Skala. Up to 1,180 solar panels will cover the building's facade. They meet the building's energy needs, as well as presenting a unique and minimalist facade design. The facade, with a similar thickness to a traditional glass facade, is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

The commercial building, named 550 Spencer, has 8 floors and will finish its completion in 2024. Many new buildings have installed solar energy systems on their rooftops, but 550 Spencer is the first one to utilise the Skala solar facade system from the German solar company, Avancis. The solar panels will be installed on the north facade. The solar cells it uses will absorb and converse energy 50 times more than normal ones. In addition, since in most parts of Australia, the largest energy consumption comes from the building's cooling system, they designed the facade to face a solid panel north covered in the solar panel and a clear vision glass panel south, which optimise the effect of the solar panel whilst minimising the heat gain through direct sunlight. However, although many areas of Australia are very suitable for developing solar energy thanks to the abundance of sunshine, there are still no building standards for solar energy systems, therefore Avancis would still need to conduct ongoing tests to ensure that all fire safety requirements are met and the project approved by the authorities. 

As an important stakeholder in the community, the business sector should put more effort into sustainable development while pursuing commercial development. With the completion of the first solar-powered commercial building in Australia, it is hoped that more companies there will echo the concept of sustainable development and actively promote and apply green energy and green building design in their business development.

Source:
https://stylenculture.hk01.com/生活時尚/799791/設計-澳洲首個太陽能外牆設計-功能至上獨特外觀減排效率奇高
https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/melbourne-tower-to-have-australia-s-first-solar-skin-20220601-p5aq87#:~:text=Melbourne%20doctor%20Bella%20Freeman%20has,and%20convert%20it%20into%20electricity

Image source: Kennon