Interdigitated back‐contacted structure: A different approach towards high‐efficiency ultrathin copper indium gallium (di) selenide solar cells.

An interdigitated back-contacted (IBC) configuration is proposed for submicron copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS). In a modelling platform, the structure was opto-electrically optimized for maximum efficiency. The results are compared with a reference front/back-contacted (FBC) solar cell with similar absorber thickness and exhibiting 11.9% efficiency. The electrical passivation at the front side is accomplished by […]

Comparative Building Energy Simulation Study of Static and Thermochromically Adaptive Energy-Efficient Glazing in Various Climate Regions.

The building sector contributes approximately one third of the total energy consumption worldwide. A large part of this energy is used for the heating and cooling of buildings, which can be drastically reduced by use of energy-efficient glazing. In this study, we performed building energy simulations on a prototypical residential building, and compared commercially available […]

Small-scale Bioclimatic Prosthesis: A strategy for adaptive social housing based on local spontaneous and socio-environmental patterns in transitional spaces

In Latin America, there is a huge existing housing stock that no meets the minimum requirements for thermal comfort and energy efficiency, built before relatively recent thermal regulations. The scarcity of climate adaptive possibilities and the lack of design in the transitional spaces that these buildings create is identified as a common pattern throughout the […]

Urban living labs as innovation infrastructure for local urban intervention acceleration and student social learning: the impacts on community wellbeing in Heerlen.

Cities are championing urban experiments in order to address societal challenges and increased urban complexity. In fact, and following fellow researchers, urban experiments are used as a method in a broader trend in public policy to align urban planning with citizen needs by viewing cities as platforms for societal transformation that require, and should draw […]

Environmental impact evaluation of five circular concrete scenarios.

In the Netherlands, the material concrete accounts for 40-60% of the total environmental impact of the Dutch construction industry. Cement accounts for 80-95% of this impact, while not being the main component expressed in mass. Traditional methods of (re)using and recycling concrete in the construction industry have a high detrimental environmental impact, and are currently […]

Circularity concepts for offsite prefabricated energy renovation of apartment buildings.

Deep energy renovation includes the realisation of the full potential of energy performance. A circular deep renovation, which contributes to a circular built environment, is based on 100% life cycle renewable energy, and all materials used within the system boundaries are part of infinite technical or biological cycles with the lowest quality loss as possible. […]