Solar Ivy - "Nothing A Window Cleaner Couldn't Clean"

Solar technology joins the ivy league with novel PV concept: The first project using a potentially revolutionary new building-integrated solar-power concept designed to mimic the appearance of ivy leaves is on track for switch-on at the University of Utah this autumn.

Developed by New York-based Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (Smit), the Solar Ivy technology, which is made up of bespoke PV panel “leaves” wired through an inverter into a grid-connected system, will be used to construct a 74-square-metre installation with a nameplate capacity of 3.5kW. The $42,000 pilot, now in the schematic design phase, stemmed from the university’s Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund, a student-led scheme to finance campus projects that have a positive environmental impact and help educate the student body in developing “earth-conscious” habits.

“We have developed Solar Ivy to have a range of customisable attributes that we can use to tune the system for the location of the install or in terms of the environmental constraints — shading or other obstacles that might affect the light,” states Smit chief executive Samuel Cochran. “But we can also tailor it to use different types of PV to make the most of the quality of light the system will be converting into electricity.”

The Solar Ivy concept has been devised to be “technology agnostic”, meaning it can be fashioned around organic, amorphous silicon or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) PV, generating up to four watts per leaf. For the University of Utah project, CIGS was chosen as having the highest power density, with an expected efficiency of better than 10%.

“For our purposes [at the university], we have opted for CIGS, but the system is designed so that we can adapt it to new PV technologies as they become available,” notes Cochran. “We are really excited about the ongoing development of organic PV, for instance, in terms of its smaller carbon footprint, and some of the transparent and printed PV technologies that are under development.”

The leaf structure of Solar Ivy is made of UV-stable plastics, meaning the foliage can be fabricated in any colour or opacity, although they cannot “yet” change with the season. Smit has developed a proprietary three-dimensional software package to go with the Solar Ivy that can model a spectrum of environmental and design variables to determine “how a Solar Ivy system would react to sunlight at a given location”, switching out different types of PV panels to optimise an installation’s output.

“This software allows us to...understand how much solar radiation will be hitting each one of the Solar Ivy leaves,” says Cochran. “And this allows us to adjust the angle and density of leaves making up an installation.” The software feeds final project-specific design details to the manufacturers contracted by Smit to fabricate the Solar Ivy. The company has a number of “established” relationships with suppliers but declines to name the companies until the first installation is up and running.

The installation technology under the Solar Ivy leaves is ingenious in its own right. Smit is employing a flexible, “fishnet-like” stainless steel mesh that attaches to an assembly of perimeter cables and mounting anchors that are fixed to the wall of a building. The mesh can also be worked into self-supporting tensile architectural forms — saddle shapes, tents or the like — with Smit’s software then applying its efficiency-optimising modelling equations to tune and orientate the Solar Ivy leaves in line with these curved surfaces. “This allows us to build nonplanar [non-flat] base structures on which we can populate the leaves at optimal angles to get the maximum exposure to the Sun,” says Cochran.

Once fabricated, a Solar Ivy installation can be collapsed to fit into a shipping container for transport to site, then expanded and installed. For new buildings, the array could be integrated into the architectural design, with allowance made for anchor points, whereas for an existing building — such as at the University of Utah where installation is expected to take “at most a week” — metal brackets can be driven into the exterior walls to support the mesh structure “out of the box”.

An accelerated life-cycle testing programme is under way at the University of Sheffield in the UK to flesh out the operational longevity of the Solar Ivy concept. Smit currently offers a warranty that matches that of the panel-makers supplying the PV leaves, with all componentry manufactured to US military specifications. “As the guarantees of our suppliers improve we’ll be able to pass those along to our customers,” notes Cochran.

Servicing of the Solar Ivy is expected to be “minimal”. Smit is exploring a range of encapsulations and water-repelling coatings to reduce maintenance further. “An occasional rinse if you are in a dusty environment would do it — nothing a window washer couldn’t do,” says Cochran. Given the extreme weather common in Utah’s summers and winters, the coming installation is forecast to be a “thorough” test of the technology’s robustness.

Beyond a number of project proposals pending at different locations in the US, Smit is also pursuing developments in India and Europe, after the recent closing of a breakthrough round of venture-capital investment. International roll-out of Solar Ivy is planned for “the next few years”.

And here's the stuff to clean it with..

Glass Gleam Solar Panel Cleaner By Titan Labs

With properties similar to Glass Gleam 4, but with features more suited for cleaning panels & increasing photovoltaic efficiency. (less slip, more detergent, and highly concentrated). This concentrated solution is fast becoming one of the most effective solar cleaner in the market.

Product Description:

 

* Will not harm glass panels, plastics, or metals.

* Balanced pH. Kind to hands.

* Will not harm glass panels, plastics, or metals

* Balanced pH. Kind to hands

* Environmentally friendly super-concentrate

* Superb results for all glazed panels and solar cells

* Restores photovoltaic efficiency

* 1/4 Fl. Oz. per gallon of water.

* Rinse, power jet or squeegee.

Glass Gleam 4 - Earth Friendly

Released from Titan Labs:

After an exhaustive review we have determined that Glass Gleam-4 is a "green product." Several window cleaners have requested this. A new flyer showing this important information is enclosed.

We designate GG-4 as earth friendly technology. Using the services of a consultant formely in a key position at Chlorox's Green Works, we studied the requirements of the leading certification systems. There are no standards for many of the requirements, even for something basic as "biodegradable". Our suppliers key data about their raw material & testing. Using this data we were able to determine that Glass Gleam-4 is a "green product," which is designated as EARTH FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY. We are working on other products to see if they also would qualify.

If you would like to use this logo for Glass Gleam-4 on your website or catalog - and we think it would help you & your customers - we can send you digital copies. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. Info@TitanLabs.Net

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Thanks to Chris Lambrinides of window cleaning resource for the heads up.
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Soap Wars, Drinking Window Cleaner & Other News

Another installment from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace. This time his opinion on window cleaners soap, bravely done in this weeks edition of "Tool Talk." All information on Titan labs GG4 & other window cleaning products can be found here.

"Glass Gleam-4 is a state-of-the art liquid additive to water, designed for cleaning glass using a squeegee. Extensive field testing and customer feedback has proven that GG-4 cleans visibly better with less wipe-up time. It was developed by professional chemists specifically for glass. Titan Laboratories is a recognized leader in window cleaning and restoration chemicals.
GG-4 contains a new detergent system allowing improved cleaning and degreasing of the glass. The squeegee drag reduction (slip) is excellent. Other features include low fragrance, optimized foam level, kind to your hands, and a blue color indicator to reveal that it has been added to the bucket or spray bottle. High-tech polymeric water softeners condition the water to greatly reduce dirt redeposition. This feature alone makes GG-4 highly desirable in areas of hard water. (See comments below on water hardness)."


Keeping up appearances: Following comment by the public on the condition of the hand-painted signs at the five entrances to the town, Romsey Town Council were keen (in the words of Hyacinth Bucket) to be seen to be keeping up appearances.
However, with a limited budget and not wishing to trust the work of local artist, Rob Johnson, to less caring hands, Councillor Ian Richards, a window cleaner, has again proved himself a practical member of the council by cleaning them himself.

'Rogue' trader turns out to be genuine: A window cleaner who featured in a police “rogue trader” warning after a house was given an unwanted washdown and a bill posted through the door has stepped forward to say “it was an honest mistake.” Police issued a press release highlighting the incident at Overstrand near Cromer and spelling out the standard warnings on doorstep traders. But after a small item appeared in the press David Rose of North Walsham-based Easyreach Ladderless Window Cleaning said: “It was a genuine mistake. A new cleaner went to the wrong address - the right number but on Cromer Road rather than Mundesley Road which join into one. “We are a fully-insured legal company covering East Anglia” he assured people in the area. Norfolk police said: “We have to take all reports of suspected rogue traders seriously at the time they are reported to us.”

Legal & General - DIY approach leaves home help out of work: Legal & General has published research which reveals that many UK households are adopting a DIY approach to domestic tasks such as window cleaning which could leave many home help professionals out of work. The pension and insurance provider's survey found that demand for odd jobs people has dropped by 86 per cent, while demand for window cleaners has fallen by 48 per cent. Legal & General also found that 29 per cent of homeowners who previously employed a domestic cleaner claim they will stop paying for one. Overall, 45 per cent of the households which employed some help last year are cutting back. Garry Skelton, marketing director at Legal & General's general insurance business, said: "A significant number of people will be rolling up their sleeves and doing more work around the house in the next few months." Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that nearly two million people in the UK are now unemployed. Also here.

Death-fall maid's employer fined: A businessman whose maid fell to her death while cleaning the windows of his flat has been fined the maximum of $5,000 for not ensuring her safety while at work. Selvam Packirisamy, 39, is the first employer to be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Workers Act, in a case in which the maid died. Earlier this month, he was found guilty of failing to ensure that Ms Mariyappan Revathi, 23, performed her window-cleaning chores in a manner which did not endanger her life. EMPLOYERS' RESPONSIBILITY 'It is in the public interest to ensure that employers protect the well-being and safety of their domestic helpers.' MR R. MANOJ, Ministry of Manpower prosecutor.

Russia's Artisanal Moonshine Boom: It is a far cry from what most Russians think of moonshine, a time-dishonored pastime in a country where alcohol poisoning has helped lead to a population decline. In January, The Moscow Times reported that the reason for so many deaths is that 300 million liters of substances never intended for human consumption are drunk annually — these include perfume, aftershave, and cleaning liquids. Many shops sell contraband vodka which is made from a combination of those liquids and water. Good quality samogon, however, is unlikely to do anything for Russia's epidemic of alcoholism. Says Poluetkov, "If people want to drink window cleaner and aftershave, and sniff glue, nothing will stop them. Because window cleaner, aftershave and glue will always be on sale. An addiction is a psychological problem, not just a financial one."
There are 2.5 million alcoholics in the country according to Russia's chief epidemiologist Gennadi Onishchenko. Just last year 19,000 people died of alcohol poisoning; and while this number is less than previous years, alcoholism is still a large factor in Russia's declining population and is responsible for the large gender gap in the mortality rates. To cut down on deaths from poisonous substances, the Russian Government plans to introduce a set minimum price for vodka, which will be 100 rubles ($3) for half a liter.

Window Genie of Akron-Canton selected as dealer of the year: Window Genie is a local service company that has been in operation since 1998. Started primarily as a window cleaning and pressure washing company, Window Genie turned its focus to the area of Window Film in the year 2000 and hasn’t looked back since. The trend today is to build beautiful homes and commercial buildings with a tremendous amount of glass. Most people enjoy the natural light and the view; therefore, do not cover the windows with treatments. However, a large amount of unprotected glass can cause issues such as heat build-up, fading, and annoying glare. Window Genie entered the Window Film Industry because the company is passionate about helping its clients protect their prized possessions, save on energy costs, and just be more comfortable in their homes or offices. “We had a great understanding of these issues even before we got involved with window film, because, as window cleaners, we were in front of our clients’ glass all day, every day” says Dave Manderine, one of the company’s two owner/operators. Manderine’s partner, Mario Kotik believes “that partnering with Huper Optik gave us that competitive advantage we needed. And we believe in these products so much, we added Automotive Window Film to our list of services last year.” Manderine adds “By attending the Huper Optik Dealer Meetings the last three years, our eyes were opened to the “Green Movement” and the push for conserving our energy resources”. Huper Optik USA (HOUSA) is a window film manufacturer/distributor based in Houston, Texas that has established distributors and dealers across the world. HOUSA owns the patent on a German Window Film Technology with incredible clarity and extremely low reflectivity. As the exclusive Huper Dealer in the Akron/Canton Area, Window Genie offers a wide selection of window films with the best warranties in the industry.

8 Companies Rewarded for Composite Innovations: This year, eight companies and their partners will receive JEC Innovation Awards awards at the JEC Composites Show from March 24-26, 2009. The programme was created in 1998 with the goal of promoting innovation. Each year, a jury of renowned international experts chooses the best composite innovations, based on their technical interest, market potential, partnership, financial impact and originality. This year, the winners were selected from the following categories: Raw Materials, Process, Automation, Aeronautics, Building & Construction, Transportation and Environment & Energy. The decision to give prominence to these projects was based on their atypical nature and various noteworthy aspects.
Joint Winner: A façade with an innovative modular system that makes an extensive use of sandwich composites to support both glass and marble elements by Skandinaviska Glassystem AB (Sweden) Partner: Diab Group AB (Sweden) This façade for a six-storey office block in Copenhagen presents two entirely different aspects, depending on the viewpoint of the observer. Viewed from one side, the building would appear to have a façade that is basically a glass wall. Viewed from the opposite side, it would appear to be completely finished in marble. The same effect was required for all four sides of the building. The total area to be covered by the facade is approximately 4,000 square metres.