Strategically green

Guardian Glass has signed a strategic partnership agreement with ML System, a company in the building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) market.

This will allow Guardian Glass to offer a complete range of BIPV product solutions – both semi-transparent and opaque – that help contribute to the EU Directive Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) regulations.

The cooperation will lead to the coordination of projects based on Guardian Glass’s sales network and distribution channels with ML System’s expertise in BIPV and integrated structural solutions.

New opportunities for Guardian Glass will be created in architectural projects across the world through its capability to offer BIPV technologies in the field of energy generation on-site, the company said.

Guus Boekhoudt, Guardian Glass vice president, said: “Our experienced team can now take a more holistic approach to projects and can help architects, glass cladders and facade consultants find the best product solutions for energy-generating facades, in terms of their power requirements, integration, aesthetics and matched with the best performance coated solar control glass. The appearance of these reliable, high performance BIPV solutions can be tailored to best match the visual expectations of projects.”

In January 2019, an EU Directive came into force that aims to drive the large-scale deployment of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB). The objective of this directive is to considerably lower the energy consumption of buildings while using to a significant extent renewable energy, including energy produced on-site or nearby.

“Modern glazing, together with BIPV, will not only help save energy, generate energy and therefore help reduce carbon emissions, but will also make the building itself more valuable, as higher ranking in green building certification is proven to result in higher rents,” Guus said.