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Austria’s Vivatro turns building facades into solar panels with infinite color options

By JUL 8, 2025 7:50 AM 4 MIN READ
First-ever solar facade produces infinite energy Credits: Vivatro GmBh
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If there is one thing Austria is known for, it is its love of caffeinated drinks. The country has thousands of coffee houses, and the beloved (and sometimes much-needed) energy drink, Red Bull, was commercialized there. While the Austrians use caffeine to boost their energy, their buildings have solar facades to boost energy. These facades enable continuous clean energy production and could transform how we think about traditional photovoltaics.

Austria’s buildings are producing energy

The globe is going green. In efforts to mitigate climate change, we often have to compromise land and aesthetics when selecting our renewable energy technology. However, all of that is about to change because a solar energy company based in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria, has created something beyond our wildest imaginations.

Vivatro has designed photovoltaic (PV) facades to turn their buildings into energy-producing machines. These PV facades are tailor-made solutions for residential, commercial, and public buildings that normally cannot accommodate traditional solar panels. These PV facades are a clever way to create clean energy efficiently, but they are also so much more!

Solar facades are the future of power

Solar energy is a popular renewable energy source when it comes to mankind’s ever-rising energy demands. However, traditional solar panels require a lot of space, and they tend to be a bit of an eyesore. This is why Vivatro created the PV facades, as they combine the efficiency of clean energy production with striking architectural designs, all without having to sacrifice additional land, making them more sustainable.

Benefits beyond reason

  • Higher solar energy yields in winter months due to the ability to vertically mount the facades in a lower position
  • The vertical position of the facades prevents snow buildup, ensuring uninterrupted energy production
  • Continuous efficiency
  • Long-term carbon emission reduction
  • Decreased electricity bills
  • Reduced visual pollution
  • Increased application possibilities
  • Increased color styling options

Unlike traditional solar panels, which are typically black in color, Vivatro’s PV facades come with a variety of colors to choose from. This means your architectural styling options are extensive, thanks to colors like blue, green, and yellow. All these colors come in a variety of shades as well. If you can imagine it, they most likely make it.

Vivatro’s PV facades will bring out the artist in anyone. Their PV modules are available in the typical colors, as well as a range of new modern colors. For those who are not too keen on color, they even have a transparent option to choose from.

Colorful PV facades

Architectural optic concepts can be individually altered without compromising power and durability. You can choose between strong accent colors that will modernize buildings inside and out, or more subtle tones to blend into the surroundings. According to Vivatro, these colorful PV facades are ideal fits for private residential buildings, public facilities, or buildings that want to make their brands synonymous with sustainability and innovation.

Transparent PV facades

The company named their transparent PV facades ‘sonnenwand’, inspired by the concept of “sunglasses” for buildings. These facades are easy to install on existing glass panels and will thus not only produce energy but also result in more natural shading whilst cooling the building’s interior. Transparent PV facade benefits also include:

  • Weather protection
  • Flexible customization
  • Increased application possibilities
  • Cosmopolitan aesthetic

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Anke MareenStaff Writer
Anke is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.