In Our Nature, the UW Sustanability blog, reports on how UW Solar worked with the Biology Department and the Life Sciences Building's design team to advocate for the solar technology, provide initial feasibility studies and help find additional funding to cover the cost of the solar film on the floor-to-ceiling windows all along the south side of the building. 

The windows allow the sun to naturally light the space, but that sunlight also presents a problem. In the summer, direct sunlight would overheat the building. Instead of relying on air conditioning, the team behind the building’s design found a unique solution. Vertical glass fins along the side of the building include embedded photovoltaic cells, which will shade the windows to keep the building cool while also generating renewable energy.

Read more about this exciting project at In Our Nature.