09-10 October 2024 Increase General Assembly
The General Assembly of the Increase project brought together partners from across Europe to celebrate a successful first year and plan for the future.

Held in the scenic Sophia Antipolis and hosted by CSTB, the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the project’s achievements in advancing Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) - a technology that seamlessly integrates solar panels into building structures, making buildings more energy-efficient and sustainable.

Key Highlights of the Assembly
The two-day gathering featured presentations from key project leaders, showcasing the progress made in several areas:
Innovative Solar Modules
Antonin Faes shared exciting updates on solar module innovations, including successful flame retardant testing that showed no loss in efficiency even with fire-protective coatings. Antonin also presented results from testing anti-fouling, anti-soiling, and anti-glare coatings, which will help improve the durability and performance of solar panels. These innovations are critical to ensuring that solar panels remain efficient and long-lasting in various environmental conditions.
System-Level Advancements
Ignas Ceuppens discussed the development of new ventilated facades, prefabricated façades, railway noise barriers and lightweight roof systems that integrate solar technology. A major milestone was the hail and snow load tests on thin glass roof modules, which passed successfully, showing the resilience of these solar panels in harsh weather conditions. These systems are being tested on real buildings to ensure they meet both energy efficiency and safety standards.
Building Energy Simulations
Chris Caerts presented work on advanced energy simulations for buildings. His team is using data to model how much energy buildings with integrated solar systems can produce and how smart control systems can optimize performance taking into account flexible consumption. This research is already being applied to pilot buildings across Europe.
Testing and Demonstration Sites
Olaia Aurrekoetxea Arratibel outlined the plans for testing solar modules and systems, focusing on sites like Tartu and La Toussuire, where new solar technologies will be tested for color, transparency, and anti-soiling properties. María Jiménez García shared updates from the project’s nine Demonstration sites, where preparations are well underway for testing and integrating these solar technologies into buildings.
Co-Creation and Standardization
Merit Tatar and Maarja Olesk led discussions on the co-creation process, which involves working with local communities and stakeholders to ensure that the solar solutions meet real-world needs. Simone Germani gave an update on efforts to influence solar energy standards, identifying gaps in current standards and exploring opportunities to amend existing or propose new standards to accommodate the innovative solutions being developed by the project.
Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessments
Simon Boddaert and his team focused on ensuring the sustainability of the project's solutions by collecting data for life cycle assessments (LCA). These assessments will help measure the long-term environmental benefits of integrating solar technology into buildings.
Looking Forward
The General Assembly was more than a reflection on past achievements—it was a forward-looking event where project partners mapped out the next steps. In the coming months, the team will focus on scaling up innovations, advancing through testing phases, and launching activities at the demonstration sites, while continuing to shape solar energy standards across Europe.
The Increase project is made up of a diverse group of experts, including researchers, industry leaders, social scientists, and policy experts. This collaboration has been essential in driving the project forward, and the General Assembly provided a platform for deepening these partnerships.
A special thanks go to Simon Boddaert and the CSTB team for their wonderful hospitality and for hosting the event in the stunning Sophia Antipolis, with attendees also enjoying the beautiful surroundings of Antibes.
With renewed energy and a clear roadmap, the Increase project team is well on its way to making buildings of the future greener and more sustainable through cutting-edge solar technology.
What’s Next?
The Increase project is entering an exciting phase, with more pilot testing, further development of BIPV system technologies, and efforts to influence policies that will support the integration of solar energy into existing and new buildings and infrastructure. The team remains dedicated to identify and create sustainable solutions that benefit communities, various stakeholders and the environment across Europe.
With continued collaboration and innovation, the future of sustainable buildings looks brighter than ever!
The Increase project is excited to participate in the Integrated Photovoltaic Conference organized by the Seamless-PV project!
Join us on November 28th in Florence to learn more about cutting-edge developments in building-integrated photovoltaics.
Want to stay updated on our latest activities?Follow us on LinkedIn and X, and be sure to check the News and Events section on the Increase website for all the latest updates! |
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