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- SPW Namur Offices
A government headquarters that turned its south and west façades into shading, daylight control and a clean energy source
A renovation that redefined the brief — from passive barrier to active energy contributor
A public institution leading by example — the building envelope as a sustainability statement
When the Service Public de Wallonie undertook the renovation and extension of its Namur headquarters, the ambition was set from the outset: this would not be a standard office refurbishment. Atelier d’Architecture Thierry Lanotte was tasked with creating a building envelope that actively contributed to the building’s energy performance — one whose south and west façades would do far more than keep the weather out.
ISSOL® Square photovoltaic glass modules were integrated vertically across both critical orientations, replacing traditional cladding with a surface that simultaneously generates electricity, provides solar shading and filters daylight into the office spaces behind. For a government headquarters in the historic centre of Namur, the result is a façade with both technical rigour and a legible public message: renewable energy is not a rooftop afterthought but woven into the building’s face.
Bespoke co-design — custom dimensions, cell density and finish for a heritage urban setting
- Vertical integration on south and west façades: orientations that demand careful cell density calibration to balance solar yield with glare control and occupant comfort
- Custom module dimensions, cell density and aesthetic characteristics developed in close co-design with Atelier d’Architecture Thierry Lanotte from the project’s inception — no standard panel applied
- Semi-transparent monocrystalline silicon cells in ISSOL® Square pattern: rhythmic, high-tech grid pattern harmonising with the surrounding historic urban fabric of Namur
- Dual function: modules replace conventional façade cladding and serve as primary solar shading — eliminating the need for a separate brise-soleil system
- ISSOL® provided full technical support through design, construction and commissioning, integrating the BIPV system into the building’s electrical infrastructure
- Renovation context: BIPV panels coordinated with the existing building structure and the extension’s new envelope to deliver a coherent architectural expression across both
Why it fits: ISSOL® Square’s monocrystalline cell matrix — with its distinctive square-grid pattern — gave Atelier d’Architecture Thierry Lanotte the visual regularity a government headquarters in a historic city centre demands, while the semi-transparent construction delivered the solar shading and daylight quality the offices required. Custom module dimensions and cell density meant the BIPV panels could be tuned precisely to the south and west orientations without a standard panel ever being the answer. The result is a façade that reads as intentional design and performs as engineered infrastructure — at once cladding, shading system and power source.
Parameters for rapid evaluation
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application | BIPV office façade | Vertical integration; renovation and extension; south and west orientations |
| ISSOL® solution | ISSOL® Square | Semi-transparent glass-glass laminate; monocrystalline Si cells; ISSOL® Square grid pattern |
| Installed capacity | ~30 kWp | South and west façades combined |
| Annual yield | ~30,000 kWh/yr | Estimated; directly offsets building electricity consumption |
| Façade orientation | South + west · vertical | Captures solar irradiation across morning, midday and afternoon; maximises daily yield |
| Shading function | Integrated solar shading | Replaces separate brise-soleil; reduces cooling demand in summer months |
| Panel geometry | Custom per module | Dimensions, cell density and finish tailored to architect’s intent via co-design process |
| Project type | Renovation + extension | Existing building structure + new envelope; BIPV coordinated across both |
| Architect | Atelier d’Architecture Thierry Lanotte | Co-design from project inception; full design and construction technical support from ISSOL® |
| Completed | 2017 | Namur, Belgium |
“The building envelope should no longer be a passive barrier but an active contributor to the building’s energy performance — a façade that is not only visually striking but also profoundly functional.”
SPW Namur Offices — Atelier d’Architecture Thierry Lanotte, 2017
South and west façades transformed — cladding, shading and generator in one surface
