Reconciling solar energy and heritage preservation

Maria Cristina Munari Probst created a database of examples of solar panels that either fit or do not fit harmoniously in their urban setting. Alain Herzog 2016 29. EPFL researchers have developed a method to assess the aesthetic impact of solar panels on buildings and to set objective criteria for where they should be placed. Some municipal governments could apply this method as early as next year. The researchers have just received the Innovator of the Year award in Sweden. 'We want to show that solar panels can be harmoniously integrated into their urban setting, even in fragile environments, as long as the necessary effort is made in terms of design and cost. If we fall short of that, it may be better to just postpone the work,' says Maria Cristina Munari Probst, an architect in EPFL's Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB).