C2I 2022: Young Innovator winner - Project Prasinos

Among the many huge efforts needed to reach net zero by 2050, lies the issue of designing more sustainable buildings, something that will require cross-disciplinary innovation from sectors including construction and energy.

This winners of this year’s C2I Awards’ Young Innovator category had just this in mind, as they put forward their concept for a practical building solution, capable of generating its own renewable electricity as well as encouraging biodiversity and plant growth to absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The ‘Project Prasinos’ (PP) team, a group of students from the Ursuline Academy Ilford, described its design as accessible and inclusive, revolving around renewable energy from transparent photovoltaic (PV) glass solar panels, provided by project partner Polysolar.
Polysolar is a Cambridge-based developer, designer and architectural solar solutions installer. Its latest transparent solar panel has a layer of thin photovoltaics embedded in the centre, allowing for conversion of light to electricity. The PP team worked with the company’s CEO, Hamish Watson, who acted as a mentor to the students and assisted with the solar energy concepts for the building design.