In Dutch company MVRDV's upcoming project Sun Rock, the majority of the building will be covered in solar panels and is expected to generate around 1 million kilowatt-hours of green energy per year, which will easily ensure it operates self-sufficient and the excess energy will be transmitted to the grid.
While most of the building's facade will be covered with solar panels, there will also be Windows and vents for natural ventilation. The facade has a series of folds, the angles of which are adjusted across all parts of the facade to maximise the power generation potential of the solar panels.
Designers are considering further design options to add larger areas of photovoltaic panels, and calculations suggest the building could generate 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year to power the grid.