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Run your analysis now →https://www.patsnap.com/resources/blog/rd-blog/building-integrated-photovoltaic-facades-patent-landscape/ · Patsnap · data cut-off 2026-07-31 · downloaded from the live page
Solar PV · Patent LandscapeBuilding-Integrated Photovoltaic Facade Patents
- Ownership is concentrated at the top. The five leading assignees hold 96 of 225 records in scope (42.7%), and the leading assignee alone accounts for 48.
- Filing has cooled from its 2023 peak. Activity peaked at 26 records in 2023; the last complete year, 2024, sits 24% below 2021 levels — though 2025-2026 counts are still filling in due to publication lag.
- Roofing dominates over facade claims. The most-cited records all describe roofing assemblies, not vertical curtain-wall facades, suggesting the highest-value claim space and prior art sits in roof-integrated form factors.
225
Published Records
43%
Top-5 Share of All Records
-24%
Filing Growth 2021→2024
US
Leading Jurisdiction
Filing growth compares 2021 (21 records) with 2024 (16) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 225 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
Published byPatsnap Research··7 min readSourced from Patsnap Eureka
Overview
What the patent record shows
Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facades sit at the intersection of solar power generation and building envelope design, which is why the search string spans both H02S photovoltaic classifications and E04B/E04D building-structure classes. The 225 records in scope run from 2015 through the mid-2026 data cut-off, capturing a decade in which BIPV moved from demonstration installations toward claims on manufacturability, colour matching, mounting hardware and fire rating — the practical details that determine whether a facade product can actually be specified and installed at scale.
The dataset leans heavily toward roofing-style integration rather than vertical curtain-wall applications, and toward a small number of assignees who filed early and repeatedly. That combination — concentrated ownership plus a roofing tilt — sets the terms for where a new entrant can realistically stake a claim.
Filing activity and technology composition, 2015-2026
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee ranking and totals. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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The Data
Filing trends and technology composition
Two views of the same 225 records: how filing activity has moved year over year, and which technology classes carry the claims.
Filing trend, 2017-2026
Annual filings rose from 20 in 2017 to a peak of 26 in 2023, then eased to 16 by 2024 — a 24% decline over the 2021-2024 span. 2025 and 2026 figures are undercounted because publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so the apparent drop in the newest years should not be read as a slowdown yet.
Technology composition by IPC subclass
H02S (photovoltaic/solar power generation) and H01L (semiconductor devices) anchor the field at 54.7% and 44.9% of the 225 records respectively, confirming this is fundamentally a solar-device dataset with a building-integration overlay. E04B building structures (28.9%) and E04D roofing (18.2%) show where the architectural claims concentrate, while E06B doors/windows/shutters and H02G cable routing each sit at just 5.3% — comparatively thin coverage for facade-specific hardware.
Shares are the percentage of the 225 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.
Go deeper on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades with Eureka
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Representative and most-cited filings
Representative filing
Building integrated photovoltaic roofing assemblies and associated systems and methods (US20170237389A1)
TESLA, INC.
Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing and appear seamless to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, flush or forming a substantively uniform plane with roof panels or other panels mimicking a solar panel appearance. Pans supporting BIPV solar panels can be coupled by standing seams, in both lateral and longitudinal directions, to other photovoltaic-supporting pans or pans supporting non-photovoltaic structures, having both functional and aesthetic advantages.Filed by Tesla, Inc. on 2017-08-17. Abstract trimmed for length.
Most-cited records in scope
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US20080302030A1 | Structures for Low Cost, Reliable Solar Roofing | 343 |
| 2 | US20180351502A1 | Multi-region solar roofing modules | 116 |
| 3 | US20180115275A1 | Building integrated photovoltaic system for tile roofs | 112 |
| 4 | US20170237390A1 | Building integrated photovoltaic roofing assemblies and associated systems and methods | 105 |
| 5 | WO2008137966A2 | Structures for low cost, reliable solar roofing | 85 |
| 6 | US20070068571A1 | Shunt Passivation Method for Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Photovoltaic Modules | 80 |
| 7 | US7845127B2 | Building integrated photovoltaic conversion system implemented in both vision and spandrel areas | 58 |
| 8 | US20110100438A1 | Building integrated photovoltaic having injection molded component | 56 |
| 9 | US7847181B2 | Building integrated photovoltaic conversion system implemented with integrated control management units | 48 |
| 10 | US10505492B2 | Building integrated photovoltaic roofing assemblies and associated systems and methods | 38 |
Citation counts favour older filings that have had more time to accumulate citers; treat them as a measure of influence within this corpus, not of current commercial relevance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Citation counts and representative records. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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What the numbers mean for a filing decision
Three patterns worth acting on before drafting claims or scoping freedom-to-operate in this space.
Concentration
42.7%
of 225 records held by top 5 assignees
A small group of filers occupies the core claim space
The leading assignee alone accounts for 48 of the 225 records in scope, and the top five combined hold 96 — 42.7% of the field. A new filer entering roofing-integrated BIPV claims should expect dense prior art from a handful of repeat filers rather than a fragmented landscape.
Source: assignee ranking, 225 records
Roofing tilt
18.2%
of records classed under E04D roofing
Roofing form factors outweigh vertical facade claims
All five of the most-cited records in this dataset describe roofing assemblies rather than curtain-wall or vertical facade integration. Combined with E04B building-structure coverage at 28.9%, the evidence points to roofing as the more heavily claimed and more heavily cited integration route.
Source: IPC composition, 225 records
Momentum
-24%
filing change, 2021 to 2024
Filing has eased from its 2023 peak, but the newest years are incomplete
Annual filings fell from 21 in 2021 to 16 in 2024, a 24% decline, after peaking at 26 in 2023. Because publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, 2025 and 2026 counts will keep rising as more records publish — the recent dip should not yet be read as declining interest.
Source: filing trend, 2017-2026
Eureka AI Agent
Looking for what nobody has claimed yet?
Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to building-integrated photovoltaic facades, with the prior art for and against each one.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Co-assignee relationships and derived observations. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
Players
Who is filing, and what is still open
The ranking covers 100 companies, counted in records — the entire set the data endpoint returns for this search, not a curated top tier.
Leader
48 records
single largest assignee
One filer holds a clear lead in record count
The top-ranked assignee's 48 records outpace the fifth-place holder's 7, indicating a steep drop-off rather than a gradual taper among the leading filers.
Source: assignee ranking
Mid-tier
7 vs 5
fifth place vs tenth place
The gap narrows quickly past the top five
Fifth place holds 7 records and tenth place holds 5 — a much flatter curve than the leader's 48, meaning the mid-tier is genuinely competitive and open to new entrants who file consistently.
Source: assignee ranking
Co-filing
7 pairs
co-assignee pairs identified
Collaboration is limited and mostly intra-group
Only 7 co-assignee pairs appear across the dataset, and the strongest pairings link related corporate entities of the same group rather than independent partners, suggesting most BIPV facade IP is developed in-house.
Source: co-assignee pairs
Recent-year filing momentum
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla, Inc. (USA) | 1 | — |
| SolarCity Corporation | 0 | — |
| Eni S.p.A. | 0 | — |
| Architectural Glass & Aluminum Corp. | 0 | — |
| GAF Energy LLC | 0 | -100% |
| LG Hausys, Ltd. | 0 | — |
| Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. | 0 | — |
| Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. | 0 | — |
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee-level momentum. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
What's Next
Where to take this analysis
The dataset points to specific next steps depending on whether the goal is freedom-to-operate, whitespace filing, or competitive tracking.
Check freedom-to-operate against the roofing cluster
Given how heavily the most-cited records concentrate on roofing assemblies, any product with roof-integrated mounting or standing-seam coupling should be checked against that cluster before drafting claims.
Explore in Eureka →Scope claims in the thinner facade classes
E06B and H02G each cover only 5.3% of the 225 records, leaving window/shutter integration and cable-routing hardware comparatively open for narrowly drafted claims.
Explore in Eureka →Track the mid-tier filers, not just the leader
With fifth and tenth place separated by only two records, the competitive set below the top assignee is worth monitoring for shifts in filing pace.
Explore in Eureka →Source: Patsnap Eureka. Forward-looking reading of the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
FAQ
Common questions about BIPV facade patents
One assignee leads clearly with 48 of the 225 records in scope, well ahead of the fifth-ranked holder at 7 records. The top five assignees combined account for 96 records, or 42.7% of the field, so ownership is concentrated rather than evenly spread. Past the top five, the ranking flattens quickly — tenth place holds only 5 records — meaning the mid-tier is far more open to new filers than the top of the ranking suggests.
Filing peaked at 26 records in 2023 and eased to 16 by 2024, a 24% decline over the 2021-2024 span. However, patent publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so the lower counts recorded for 2025 and 2026 are provisional and will rise as more applications publish. The honest read is that growth has cooled from its 2023 high point, not that interest in the technology is declining.
Photovoltaic power generation (H02S) and semiconductor devices (H01L) are the two largest classes, covering 54.7% and 44.9% of the 225 records respectively, confirming this is primarily a solar-device dataset with architectural claims layered on top. Building structures (E04B) and roofing (E04D) follow at 28.9% and 18.2%, showing where the integration-specific claims sit. Classes tied to facade hardware specifically — doors/windows/shutters and cable routing — each cover only 5.3% of records, indicating thinner coverage there.
The evidence leans toward roofing integration: all five of the most-cited records in this dataset describe roofing assemblies rather than vertical curtain-wall facades, and E04D roofing classification covers 18.2% of records versus much thinner coverage in window and shutter-related classes. This does not mean vertical facade systems are unpatented, but the densest prior art and the most-cited foundational filings sit in the roofing form factor. A team targeting true vertical curtain-wall BIPV should expect less crowded, though also less mapped, prior art.
The IPC composition shows E06B (doors, windows and shutters) and H02G (cable and signal installation) each at just 5.3% of the 225 records, and H10F (photovoltaic and light-sensitive devices specifically) at 4.9% — all comparatively thin next to the 54.7% covered by core photovoltaic classification. That gap suggests facade-specific hardware, such as window-integrated modules, fire-rated mounting brackets, and cable-routing systems designed for vertical installation, is less densely claimed than the roofing and generation-side technology. Co-assignee pairs are also rare, at only 7 across the dataset, indicating little collaborative filing to date in these narrower branches.
Answers are grounded in the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Facades covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company's registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.