Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) is one of the most promising renewable energy technologies. A BIPV system as a second layer of building envelopes is useful not only for the electric power generation but also for blocking solar radiation to reduce cooling load. This study aimed to explore the limitations of the automated BPS of an adaptive BIPV case study that its development conducted through a collaboration of a BIM software, a BIM-integrated visual programming environment, and a cloud-based energy analysis. The possible obstacles to BIPV design processes and the potential solutions have been discussed.

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The overall aim of this study was to explore the comparative effects between obstacle's distance and obstacle's orientation parameters that cause partially shading effects and influence the potential solar power generation of a photovoltaic (PV) system. An automatic collaboration of a BIM authoring software and a cloud-based building performance analysis tool were used to simulate the annual cumulative insolation obtained from rooftop PV surfaces of eight different orientations and forty-three different distances between the BIPV and building obstacle. Two public healthcare buildings, an OPD and a ward building that widely established throughout Thailand were our case study. This study also explores that orientation and distance of a surrounding obstacle are both important parameters that influencing the annual cumulative insolation of PV surfaces but in the different contexts. The findings of this study also support decision making for BIPV designers and planners to acknowledge which the BIPV and the obstacle placement is highly effective, and which one is encountering a problem and its solution.

This research aims to perform, compare, and evaluate Integrated Building Design (IBD) processes, collaborating the Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Building Performance Simulation (BPS) applications to perform energy analysis and to improve the building energy performance of a Generalizable Building Design (GBD), an universal application on health care facilities design in Thailand. The IBD processes produce the simulation results in a harmonious direction. Slight variation of building orientation could alter the extent of energy consumption. The integration of the three measures could minimize the energy consumption greatly. The study addresses limitations of the IBDs in the software integration processes.