THE SOLAR OFFICE IN CONTEXT

The goal of sustainability in buildings can only hope to be realised i f buildings are designed to both conserve and generate energy. The Sol ar Office at Doxford International is designed to minimise the use of energy while its external fabric is designed to replace such energy th at is used. The recently completed building is now subject of a compre hensive monitoring programme. The programme covers both the performanc e of the 73 kW(p) photovoltaic installation and the environmental cond itions within the building as a whole, Hour by hour findings are poste d on a dedicated web site. Photovoltaics could have the same impact on building form and layout as the invention of the passenger lift at th e end of the last century. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.