Solar panels are a known entity of sustainable design. I would venture to guess that most people could identify a solar panel on a roof or in a field, which speaks to the solar panels distinctive and easily recognizable look. While the iconography of the solar panel denotes sustainability and an awareness of energy use, it is a very specific look that is not always in character with the surroundings. In some residential communities solar panels are not allowed, or they are limited to non-visible portions of the roof. This, of course is a problem.
Tegolasolare is an company based in Italy that is working to bring historical architectural language into the modern world through solar panels. By combining both worlds they have developed a roof tile made from a red clay spray-dried ceramic mix that looks like tradition terracotta tile, but with an embedded photovoltaic panel. Italians know better than anyone the constraints of building regulations at work in historic centers, so who better to offer a solution. As long as companies continue to develop such innovative and masterful designs our energy crisis will not grow worse.