From BIM to digital twin in BIPV: A review of current knowledge

Digital solutions, such as digital-twin (DT) technologies, can significantly improve the construction industry by addressing its inherent challenges, such as complex project management, delays, quality control, safety issues, and environmental impact. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) is a promising system for building envelopes to harvest renewable solar energy onsite. Interest in the application of DT technologies in BIPV systems has grown, including the prediction and optimization of energy performance and accurate diagnosis of faults. Despite increased research on the integration of BIPV systems with DT technologies, a systematic, holistic analysis that encompasses all project phases for effective lifecycle management is still lacking. This study comprehensively analyzes the integration of BIPV systems and DT technology throughout the building lifecycle, including design, construction, operation, demolition, and recycling, and it underscores the potential of combining BIPV systems with DT technology as a strategic approach to enhance efficiency, safety, and reliability. This study investigates three primary objectives: 1) the current applications/attempts to apply DTs to BIPV systems from a lifecycle perspective; 2) the challenges of integrating DTs and BIPV; and 3) promising DT technologies/strategies for promoting BIPV development. This study offers significant insights by highlighting the use of DT technologies across the full lifecycle of BIPV systems. It details the application of these technologies across five crucial layers in BIPV systems, data technologies, modelling methods, and simulation techniques. Moreover, it elucidates current research gaps in this domain and proposes valuable recommendations for future research avenues.