February 27, 2026

Fanshawe College Innovation Village and Manitou a bi Bii daziigae at RRC Polytech are featured as key case studies for the innovative use of Building Integrated Photovoltaics in ArchDaily’s article “What happens when solar is treated as a building material?”. Highlighting the work of our collaborators at SolarLab, the piece demonstrates how energy production and aesthetic flexibility are being integrated into a single material expression.

“As environmental accountability becomes embedded in design culture, the building envelope is being reconsidered not just as a protective skin, but as an active energy-producing surface. Treating solar technology as a material rather than an attachment reshapes how architecture is conceived and detailed. Color, texture, rhythm, and assembly become inseparable from performance. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) operate within this expanded definition of materiality.”

The article highlights how SolarLab’s versatile systems bridge the gap between high-performance power generation and architectural expression, offering a wide range of finishes that allow solar elements to be treated as a dynamic design feature: “Their solar façade systems range from curtain walls and rainscreens to louvers and shading systems available in a wide selection of colorfast, non-fading finishes that replicate metallic or ceramic appearances and can be paired with various textures and finishes.”

Manitou a bi Bii daziigae at RRC Polytech is featured as an example of combining local craftsmanship with BIPV: “Expanding the historic campus with a contemporary envelope, SolarLab provided a custom façade system that plays a key role in both the building's energy strategy and visual identity. Daylight and reflections highlight the transition between the existing masonry structure and the new glass volume, producing a subtle color shift depending on viewing angle and weather conditions.”

Similarly, at the Fanshawe College Innovation Village, a custom BIPV cladding system transforms the envelope into an energy-producing rainscreen without compromising the design: “Blue-toned glass surfaces subtly shift with changing light while maintaining a refined matte finish, integrating renewable energy production into the architectural identity. This project illustrates how BIPV can serve as a primary cladding material without compromising the design language and how architectural quality and renewable technology can coexist within a single material expression.”

Read the full article on ArchDaily.

Learn more about Diamond Schmitt's research and use of BIPV systems in our Explorations piece Shedding a Light on Solar Energy.