Concrete roof generates electricity from sunlight

Swiss researchers have created a new type of concrete roof that can generate electricity from sunlight.

Domed concrete roof capable of generating electricity from sunlight. Video: Futurism.

A team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology built a prototype of a domed, ultra-thin concrete roof that is 7.5 meters high and has a curved surface area of ​​160 square meters.². A thin film of photovoltaic cells covering the outside of the roof is capable of producing electricity when sunlight hits it, according to Futurism.

The roof is 3-12 cm thick with a structure consisting of many different layers. Therefore, it has the ability to insulate and cool. The prototype roof created by scientists is the same size as the real thing. In 2018, it will be installed for the first time on the roof of the HiLo apartment building.

The roof mold is a mesh of stretched steel wires. The team covers the outside with polymer fabric, then sprays concrete over the mesh. The sprayed concrete must be wet enough, but also strong enough to adhere to vertical surfaces. This complex concrete structure uses less material than conventional concrete.

According to VNE