Frequently Asked Questions

What is ISPBC?

International Self-Powered Building Council (ISPBC) is an international organization dedicated to advance, develop and drive Self-Powered-Building (SPB) innovations and practices with a global action plan. ISPBC offers fully integrated, practical solutions for the worldwide building industry, developers and consumers including complete technology resources, products, knowledge, software, and financial and business models.

Is SPB a green building?

Yes, but it is more than that. Self-Powered-Building (SPB) is ‘the next generation smart green Building2.0’.  The conventional, old-generation buildings (Building 1.0) are grid-connected, getting all their power from the power grid. Current green buildings (Building 1.5) have surface add-on integration of photovoltaic, solar, wind, geothermal, and/or other green energy solutions to save and produce some of their own energy, but they still lack a fully integrated power system.

What is SPB?

The Self-Powered-Building (SPB) is a Building2.0. It is a building that is designed and built for maximum energy efficiency with customized energy-integration and maximum power generation capacity.

Building2.0 is a multi-tier building with smart energy design consisting of SHELL (exterior surfaces and ground) and CORE (internal power storage system and intelligent cloud power management software).

SPB converts building surfaces (walls and rooftops) and nearby ground and parking structures into power collectors via hybrid renewable power sources (solar, wind, thermal). It utilizes the latest and most efficient designer-class BIPV (building-integrated-photovoltaic) products such as PV-Windows and PV curtain-wall systems to maximize energy savings and to maintain a flexible design of a modern building.

The intelligent power management and long-life green battery storage systems provide power buffering function and customizable smart power distribution. Each unit and the whole building can be converted into a macro-level power grid where stored power can not only be self-consumed but also be shared and sold to third party users by feeding it back to the grid.

What are the main benefits of Building2.0?

Buildings offer huge potential for energy savings because they consume nearly 50% of the energy and produce about the same amount of CO2 emissions. Additional 12% of energy is used to produce conventional building materials. Upgrading the grid and building grid-tied power plants are massive undertakings that will take decades to complete and they still don’t address the consumption problem.

Building2.0 is the ultimate solution by reducing energy consumption at the source with a fully integrated, efficient power system that includes the PV-Window as a critical component. Since energy leaks out mostly through windows the PV-Window offers the biggest energy savings. Compared to passive high-efficient windows, the PV-Window can reduce heat transfer up to 90%, thus saving more than 65% in air-condition electricity bills in the summer and heating costs in the winter.

More than any green building, SPBs are energy-efficient, they increase and preserve property value, lower operating and maintenance costs, provide longer lifespan of the building, supply clean and healthy indoor air with germ-free surfaces, and SPBs have a positive impact on the environment. They are the truly energy-independent, intelligent buildings of the future.

Are there additional financial benefits to SPBs?

Yes. SPB technologies make buildings alive by converting energy consumers into independent energy producers and revenue-generators. Unlike typical ‘payback’ mentality used in current BIPV investment valuation, the SPB is a new category in bankable values and assets that can greatly enhance the value and liquidity of a building.

A fully integrated SPB system can deliver more than 600% ROI from electricity generation over its warranty-period of 20 years. These savings add to the property value making Self-Powered-Building a highly bankable, profitable and desirable asset.

Instead of being revenue drains like many conventional commercial buildings, SPBs are revenue streams. They also offer the buyer an insurance of energy-security which is rapidly becoming a big concern because of the ongoing and accelerating climate change.

Does ISPBC have a SPB Certification program for buildings?

Yes. ISPBC provides project review services with a 5-class rating system (Diamond /Platinum / Gold /Silver/Bronze), which is based on building’s power-generation, efficiency, quality (lifespan) and integration-design.  The ISPBC certification is a critical valuation system that provides buyers and financial institutions trusted, bankable figures on their energy investment.

What other services does ISPBC offer?

ISPBC works as an advisor for SPB projects that are being launched around the world via innovative and visionary developers and governments.

ISPBC also shares knowledge, resources and technologies with the building industry and students, plus collects data from real world deployment experiences.

An important part of  ISPBC’s program is to work with governments to create policies that will accelerate market deployment of SPBs. This also requires collaboration with worldwide green building organizations, connecting experienced advisors and engineers and securing market acceptable green product supply for worldwide builders. In addition, ISPBC organizes and hosts events like showcases on ISPBC certified SPB projects, conferences, seminars, regional SPB tours, and exhibitions.

How can I join ISPBC?

ISPBC has membership categories for Developers, Builders, Architects, Property owners, Renewable energy companies, Engineers, Designers, Nanotechnology companies, and Green building material manufacturers and suppliers.

ISPBC currently accepts members by invitation only.

Joining ISPBC guarantees a powerful, valuable and high-quality position to be part of the next technological evolution that will forever change the way we live.