Preface

**Section 3 Solar Applications in Architecture 141**

Wen-Sheng Ou

**VI** Contents

**Architecture 157**

Montanes Macias

Chapter 7 **Development of Novel Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) System in Building Architectural Envelope 143**

> Jose M. Cabeza-Lainez, Jesus A. Pulido Arcas, Carlos Rubio Bellido, Manuel-Viggo Castilla, Luis Gonzalez-Boado and Benito Sanchez-

Chapter 8 **New Computational Techniques for Solar Radiation in**

The book, *Solar Radiation* , edited by Prof. Elisha E. Babatunde and published by InTech, pro‐ vides a good background on the principles, fundamentals and future of solar radiation and energy utilization. Two essential components of solar energy which are derivable from the sun-radiant light (passive solar power) and heat (active solar powers) - have been harnessed for decades using a range of ever-evolving and cutting-edge technologies. Such technologies include solar photovoltaics, photo emitters, BIPVs and solar thermal systems.

However, recently, there has been active research in the optimization of these energy resour‐ ces due to improvements in panel instrumentation, geometry and orientation. Additionally, the more rigorous methods that are used to model inter-reflections within curvilinear surfa‐ ces for simplified analytical evaluations, material doping, photo-cell materials and heteroge‐ neous photo-catalytic degradation through solar light illumination on semiconductor surfaces, are equally becoming attractive advances in the cell material oxidation process.

Some of the advances in solar energy research are presented in the following three sections of this book:

Section 1: Solar Heating and Surface Geometry

Section 2: Photo-degradation and Instrumentation

Section 3: Solar Application in Architecture

Optimally harnessing this vital and clean energy potential will make the future of the world more promising and reassuring.

> **Bello, R. S.** Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Nigeria

**Solar Heating and Surface Geometry**
