Integration of buildings with third-generation photovoltaic solar cells: a review

Abstract Clean-energy technologies have been welcomed due to environmental concerns and high fossil-fuel costs. Today, photovoltaic (PV) cells are among the most well-known technologies that are used today to integrate with buildings. Particularly, these cells have attracted the attention of researchers and designers, combined with the windows and facades of buildings, as solar cells that are in a typical window or facade of a building can reduce the demand for urban electricity by generating clean electricity. Among the four generations that have been industrialized in the development of solar cells, the third generation, including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and perovskite, is used more in combination with the facades and windows of buildings. Due to the characteristics of these cells, the study of transparency, colour effect and their impact on energy consumption is considerable. Up to now, case studies have highlighted the features mentioned in the building combination. Therefore, this paper aims to provide constructive information about the practical and functional features as well as the limitations of this technology, which can be used as a reference for researchers and designers.