October 2024
One Downsview building on Wilson Avenue has replaced their balcony railings with solar panels.
The building looks new thanks to its new façade and modern balcony railings. This is more than a standard building facelift. Wires stick out from each railing to transport power from the sun for powering indoor air conditioning.
In place of glass on balcony railings are specially designed solar panels manufactured by a company in Toronto. They generate electricity which lowers the building’s carbon footprint and their electricity bill.
Balcony railings are replaced about every 20 years for safety reasons. Replacing traditional systems with solar panels adds to the cost in return for electricity cost savings that far exceed the premium.
Solar panels are traditionally placed on the roof. These updated solar panel systems can be integrated into a building facade providing a comparable level of weatherproofing and the same strength as regular building cladding. For the cost of resurfacing a building or replacing balcony railings, there is the added benefit of generating electricity internally rather than purchasing it. Panels become part of the building façade rather than taking up roof space that can be used for another purpose.
Solar panels have become cheaper and more powerful over the past decade. They no longer have to face upward or toward the sun. They can be placed anywhere on the building and not just on the roof. They are stronger than glass solar panels which can more easily be damaged. The panels can be made to look like marble, wood or steel, and are installed on buildings and bridges around the world. To show the durability of these panels, one company has posted videos of driving cars over the glass panels and hitting them with wrecking balls with no noticeable effect. According to the company, the panels are stronger than typical building cladding and exceed building codes.
Making your building solar powered and capable of producing electricity has become more practical. The solar panels go unnoticed but the savings in electricity do not.
Panels are manufactured and installed by Mitrex, North America’s largest manufacturer of building-integrated solar cladding, which has their office in Etobicoke.
