Isola La Certosa

The Building

Building pre-intervention

Building post-intervention

On La Certosa—the largest of Venice’s minor lagoon islands—three disused industrial buildings have been refurbished and re-roofed with terracotta-coloured, glass-glass monocrystalline BIPV modules custom-developed by Gruppo STG. The installation lies within a UNESCO-listed, Natura 2000 conservation area, making the island an open-air laboratory where heritage preservation, ecological recovery and renewable-energy supply for boating, tourism and craft activities converge.

The Solution

Solution post-intervention

What is the Solution?

A building-integrated system of terracotta-coloured, frameless glass-glass monocrystalline-silicon modules was installed as the sole waterproof roof layer on three refurbished industrial sheds, covering south-oriented slopes. By fully replacing the former roofing, the custom Gruppo STG panels now supply 100 % of the island’s demand while blending into the UNESCO-protected lagoon setting.

Why Does it work?

They resemble traditional terracotta tiles in colour, ensuring aesthetic integration while providing renewable energy.

PROS

The terracotta-tone, frameless BIPV roof discreetly powers the entire island while preserving the visual character of the UNESCO lagoon landscape. Acting simultaneously as weather-tight skin and solar generator, it shows how energy autonomy can coexist with heritage conservation.

CONS

Custom-made modules and specialised installation raise investment costs and tie long-term maintenance to a single supplier. Because every panel is integral to the roof envelope, repairing faults demands careful disassembly, adding operational complexity.

Type of installation

Replacement (building integrated - BIPV)

Part of the building

Roof only

Mounting system

Brackets, channels, drip trays

Orientation

South

Slope

18°-25°

Area (m²)

1100

Availability

Yes, available on the market

Manufacturer

GruppoSTG

Model

Tegola Fotovoltaica® (colorato)

PV module format

Customized modules

PV module format max

1000 x 1500 x 9 mm

PV module type

Glass-Glass

PV cells technology

c-silicon

PV module efficiency

14,52%

Total PV power

184 kWp

Surface PV power (W/m²)

information not available

PV energy production

211,000 kWh/year

Weight

17,3 kg per pezzo

Dummy modules used?

Frame

Overlapping

Colorization

Yes (coloured modules)

Colorization technology

Other

Glass structure

Shiny (with antireflection)

Additional documentation

Brochure-Tegola-FV-ITA.pdf

Before retrofit

After retrofit

Assessment

PV installation type

Replacement (building integrated - BIPV)

PV position

Roof only

Coloured PV

Yes

Module efficiency

10% < Efficiency <= 15%

Building alteration

Yes but the process was done reversibly ensuring that the original components of the building could be restored if needed

Investment cost

Medium High

Investment cost (Additional info)

Custom photovoltaic tiles are generally more expensive per kWp compared to traditional photovoltaic modules, both in terms of materials and manufacturing.

Circular approach

Circular approach (Additional info)

The solution is designed for durability and partial reversibility: the tiles can be repaired or replaced individually