Austrian firm M-systems has launched the EV3000, an aluminium framed glass sliding panel designed to provide solar shading on facades and which also incorporates thin film photovoltaics for power generation

The panels can be used for a number of applications, from the floor-to-ceiling glazing of balconies to a complete second skin. They are suitable for applications where a height of more than 2.8m between floors is required or where there are high wind loadings. The system can accommodate laminated glass panels with a thickness of up to 24mm and a weight of up to 210kg/m2.The panels can be easily slid along rails or they can be provided with a motor. The integrated PV provides homogeneous shading and helps control solar gains and glare inside the building.

M-systems