Pearl House Photovoltaic Panel

What is the Pearl Solar System?

Dubbed "The Pearl," the standout features of the elegant domed structure are its integrated solar panels which can be adjusted to different angles to provide additional shade and optimize energy collection through the changing seasons. The pictures tell the story of the way in which The Pearl takes advantage of passive solar principles.

Is Fanchon's 'the Pearl' solar house eco-friendly?

Check out the gallery to see Fanchon’s amazing eco-friendly, inhabitable shell in all its glory! 'The Pearl' passive solar house by David Fanchon offers practical, sustainable living in a beautiful shell-like structure that can be situated anywhere!

Is the Pearl a sustainable home?

The Pearl is an amazing residence even if you don’t consider the high-tech sustainable energy solutions that exist throughout. The Pearl incorporates an array of “passive solar” principles that harness the sun for heating and take advantage of air movement for natural ventilation.

How does the Pearl use passive solar?

The pictures tell the story of the way in which The Pearl takes advantage of passive solar principles. Large south-facing (or north-facing if you reside below the equator) bay windows fitted with an automated venting system soak up the winter sun and allow light to enter every room, while the white steel roof reflects the sun in summer.

How do bifacial photovoltaic panels work?

The system developed by students at the US Department of Energy elegantly combines engineering technology with the aesthetics of good residential architecture. The bifacial photovoltaic panels can absorb solar energy from sunlight on the front surface and by reflected light on the rear, maximizing the amount of energy produced per square meter.

Are building-integrated photovoltaics a viable alternative to solar energy harvesting?

Historically, solar energy harvesting has been expensive, relatively inefficient, and hampered by poor design. Existing building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) have proven to be less practical and economically unfeasible for large-scale adoption due to design limitations and poor aesthetics.