Residential and commercial building Feldbergstrasse

The Building

Building pre-intervention

Building post-intervention

In the historical district of Basel, the building is positioned within Basel-Stadt's protected zone. The building's location on a bustling street near the Johanniter bridge resulted in significant environmental challenges, such as noise and pollution, which adversely affected the local residents' quality of life. Additionally, the apartments previously failed to meet modern comfort standards, resulting in low occupancy and necessitating this significant upgrade.

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The Solution

Solution post-intervention

Solution post-intervention: Vista tetto.jpg

What is the Solution?

The innovative photovoltaic (PV) system integrated into the building design meets the cityscape commission's requirements for façade and roof aesthetics. This system cleverly incorporates PV panels on the south pitch, which is free from any protective requirements, and extends to the former roofs on the north pitch. Furthermore, the PV mounting system used for this in-roof solution allows for a wide selection of solar modules with minimal installation effort, enhancing both the architectural integrity and the environmental efficacy of the building.

Why Does it work?

The installation on the south orientation capitalizes on maximum sun exposure; the design has been developed in accordance with the cityscape commission's requirements, ensuring that the installation does not compromise the aesthetic standards set for building façades and roofs. The mounting system used is designed for in-roof installations, which allows for a broader selection of solar modules and is designed to be installed with minimal effort, which reduces the labour and time required for setup. This efficiency not only lowers installation costs but also speeds up the process of converting to renewable energy.

PROS

The photovoltaic system, designed to convert sunlight directly into electricity, has been successfully integrated with a solar thermal system, which utilizes solar energy to produce heat. This integration enhances the overall efficiency and performance of the renewable energy setup, optimizing the use of solar power for both electrical and thermal energy production.

CONS

The colour of the panels does not closely match the hue of the underlying terracotta tiles. This discrepancy might affect the aesthetic integration of the panels with the traditional terracotta roofing, as the panels stand out rather than blending in harmoniously with the classic roof materials.

Type of installation

Replacement (building integrated - BIPV)

Part of the building

Roof only

Mounting system

aluminium frame (from Montavent)

Orientation

156

Slope

Area (m²)

63.7

Availability