Australian Tower to get Solar Skin Upgrade

The UTS Tower in Sydney, Australia is may get a proposed upgrade - a solar skin.  This PV "wrap" would turn the tower into a very green and energy efficient structure.

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Tower "upgrade" is " ... Fueled by the university’s sustainability drive ... turn the building into a “landmark environmental tower” by wrapping it in a photovoltaic skin."

"The sustainable energy system, devised by postgraduate students in 2008, has been funded to allow students to build and test the project."

 There are a number of propose upgrades including wind turbines and cogeneration ... the solar skin " ... stretches around walls and roof elements ... the building is covered in a lightweight composite mesh textile that can collect rain water, generate electricity and complement the plan’s passive ventilation system that uses natural convection."