The world is under threat from the greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide, which lead to climate change. The insurance industry has already suffered financial losses due to extreme weather events which are the first ‘fingerprints’ of disruption of the climate.

Fossil fuelled power stations, which generate most of the UK’s electricity, are a major source of CO2. Energy use in buildings accounts for 50% of the UK’s CO2 emissions, and this is set to increase by 10-15% within five years. A switch to renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency is needed to combat climate change.

Solar photovoltaic power converts sunlight directly into clean electricity, and is a simple, reliable and commercially proven technology. Solar photovoltaics is the only electricity generating renewable technology that can be mass deployed in the urban environment.

Two thirds of the UK’s current electricity production could be generated by solar photovoltaics if it were deployed wholesale in homes and offices.

Solar photovoltaics can be substituted for existing building materials such as facades, glass roofing, parapets and glazed stairwells, and incorporated into new or existing buildings. Any area of a building which is exposed to the sun is suitable for solar photovoltaics.

Because most demand for electricity in a commercial building electricity is 9am and 5pm, there is an excellent correlation between the electricity produced by solar photovoltaics and the demand of a commercial building.

A typical solar facade could generate around 30% of the annual electricity requirements of a commercial building. Solar powered buildings are usually connected to the electricity grid so that surplus solar electricity can be exported and any deficit in supply can be imported from the grid.

Solar powered buildings have been in existence in continental Europe for more than a decade, for such uses as schools, universities, office headquarters, hotels, factories, libraries, railway stations, and government and municipal offices.

A huge market opportunity exists for solar photovoltaics in the UK, where two million square metres of new commercial and industrial roofing are built each year. In Europe, the market for solar powered buildings has expanded rapidly and is now worth £5 million. Major building and engineering companies are selling and installing solar photovoltaics as an ‘off the shelf’ product today.

Solar photovoltaics offer architects new possibilities for creative design at the cutting edge of clean energy technology. For property developers, owners or tenants of commercial buildings, solar photovoltaics make a clear statement of environmental commitment, and offer savings in the long term.

The price of solar photovoltaics is roughly equivalent to that of expensive cladding materials, such as marble. However, when compared to more conventional cladding materials such as glass or steel, installing solar photovoltaics adds only 2-5% to total construction costs of the building. This additional cost is partly offset by savings in the purchase of electricity.

The UK’s first solar powered building came into operation in 1995, yet industry and Government have largely ignored the benefits. This report provides details of the first UK solar building, and looks at four well-established solar photovoltaic buildings in continental Europe. An exciting opportunity exists to transform buildings into a central solution to climate change. Greenpeace has identified commercial buildings as a key launch-pad for solar technology in the UK.