A major public building in Madrid, home to Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), has been upgraded with building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) glass, marking a clear step forward in the energy modernisation of government infrastructure.

The refurbishment integrates photovoltaic glass directly into the building envelope, proving how on-site clean energy generation can be achieved without compromising architectural identity, especially in protected public assets where design constraints are strict and interventions must remain visually discreet.

The solution was developed and supplied by Onyx Solar, a specialist manufacturer of photovoltaic glass for buildings, with project execution handled by Eiffage Energía Sistemas. The installation is expected to reduce the building’s overall energy consumption by at least 30%, strengthening operational efficiency while supporting Spain’s wider decarbonisation agenda.

A key technical requirement of the project was aesthetic preservation. To maintain the building’s original roof character, Onyx Solar engineered and manufactured 600 photovoltaic glass units with a customised finish in a specific variation of its “Lime White” colour. This tailored surface treatment enables the active glass to blend into the roofscape, delivering energy output while maintaining continuity with the existing architectural language.

Structural protection was equally critical. Because the building is protected, the PV glazing was designed for non-penetrative fixing systems, ensuring the roof structure remains intact and unaltered, an important benchmark for public-sector retrofits where heritage compliance and structural integrity are non-negotiable.

This Madrid project positions BIPV glass as a practical, scalable tool for upgrading public buildings: combining renewable generation, energy savings, and architectural control within a single integrated façade-and-roof solution.