Innovative power generation on the vertical glass facade of the Congress Center Villach

The Congress Center Villach (CCV) is one of the most innovative and attractive congress venues in Austria, impressing visitors with its exceptional combination of modern architecture, state-of-the-art technology, and excellent gastronomy and hospitality. To make ongoing operations more sustainable and cost-efficient, innovative solutions are being sought to utilize existing building elements for electricity generation.

The City of Villach considers the most viable solution to be equipping the south-facing, vertical glass façade of the CCV with highly transparent photovoltaic (PV) modules. The architectural appearance of the approximately 700 m² façade, as well as the view from inside, should be minimally affected, as the scenic view of the Drau River and the surrounding mountains significantly contributes to the venue’s charm.

The glass elements measure 2.75 m x 2.2 m, resulting in a facade width of approximately 63 m (23 elements) and a height of around 11 m (5 elements).

The glass facade consists of two different types of glass:

• The lower facade section features a mullion-transom construction with insulating glazing (2x single-pane safety glass).
• The upper facade section, from a height of 4 meters, consists of a suspended, point-fixed glass facade (1x single-pane safety glass 10 mm).

Additionally, attention is drawn to the lettering on the upper window element, which is affixed on the interior side.

The challenge primarily focuses on PV modules but is fundamentally designed to be technology-neutral. The City of Villach is interested not only in applied PV modules and films but also in alternative technologies such as PV-integrated glass, non-PV-based products, or concepts that utilize the glass facade or other parts of the building for power generation.

For the primary application of translucent PV modules on the vertical glass facade, the following requirements must be considered:

Design/Appearance of the Facade
Preserving the facade’s appearance and ensuring the best possible light transmission into the building are crucial. Both the exterior aesthetics and the view from inside should only be minimally affected. Uniform light transmission across all modules is essential to achieve a harmonious overall effect. Structural stability must be ensured to maintain long-term quality. Overloading must be strictly avoided to prevent damage.

Economic Viability and Energy Generation
The cost-effectiveness and energy production performance of the solution are key factors in the decision-making process.

Compatibility with the Existing System
The proposed solutions must be compatible with the existing facade systems to maintain the integrity of the structure.

Safety Aspects
Safety is a crucial consideration. Compliance with safety standards and applicable regulations (particularly ÖN B 3716 parts 1, 2, 5, and 7, as well as DIN EN 13501 fire protection and building codes) is required to meet safety standards, for example, in the event of breakage. The City of Villach seeks information on the expected lifespan and durability of the proposed materials.
The weight of the material per square meter is another important factor.

Extended Goals:
For alternative technological approaches, the same criteria—design, economic viability, compatibility, and safety—apply to their respective areas of application within the building.
If this market exploration does not yield market-ready products, it will be assessed whether a procurement-relevant research project or an innovation partnership can be pursued through the FFG Expedition Zukunft Challenge Public Sector. This would make partial solutions, market-ready approaches, and development partners relevant for this challenge.

Non-Goals:

• Energy storage
• Facade renewal
• PV modules on the roof
• Power generation as part of the heating process

Take Advantage of This Market Exploration to Showcase Your Innovative Solutions!

Seize this opportunity to present your innovative approaches as part of this market exploration. Demonstrate how the vertical glass facade of the Congress Center Villach can be made more sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective using PV modules—or how other technologies can be leveraged for additional energy generation.

The City of Villach welcomes submissions of both certified PV systems and innovative solutions that, with minor adaptations, could achieve approval (e.g., CE marking, ÜA certification according to the OIB building materials list, etc.).

Important Notice:
• Submissions from consortiums are allowed.
• Keep your submission concise (guideline: a maximum of 10–12 presentation slides or 4–5 A4 pages).
• This challenge is part of a market exploration phase.
• Submit your proposal via our online form by March 26, 2025 (end of day).

Description
Submit your solution idea or specific product for the challenge described above. Focus on technical data and keep the evaluation criteria in mind.

Technical Data
A product data sheet should include the following information:
• Materials
• Change in light transmission of the glazing
• Weight
• Legal warranty
• Installation and processing instructions
• Performance data/energy generation
• Visualization

References
If you already have a market-ready product, include references or reference projects with photos in your submission.

Confidential Information for the Jury (Optional)
This text field allows you to share information exclusively with the project managers.
Provide an estimate of the financial and logistical effort required for your proposal. This will help the public contracting authority to properly frame the procurement project. You may relate this information to a reference project. A detailed cost breakdown is not required at this stage—there will be room for that in later proposals.

PDF Attachment (Optional)
You may attach a file to complement (but not replace or repeat) the text in the form fields. Use this attachment for additional materials such as:
• Product data sheets
• Graphics
• References
Additionally, please include a cover image, as this will serve as the visual representation of your submission in the challenge overview.