IEC TS 63092-3:2026 – Photovoltaics in buildings

IEC TS 63092-3:2026 is a Technical Specification covering the determination methodology for the solar heat gain coefficient of building-integrated photovoltaic modules. It gives testing engineers and quality managers a common reference for evaluating the thermal performance of BIPV products under the IEC 63092 series, published as a double logo document with ISO technical committee 160.

Standard Information

Building-integrated photovoltaics combine power generation with building envelope functions, so their thermal behaviour must be characterised alongside electrical output. IEC TS 63092-3:2026 addresses this need by defining how the solar heat gain coefficient, also called the g value, of BIPV modules is determined. The document was developed with international cooperation and applies to a wide range of module designs.
- Designation: IEC TS 63092-3:2026
- Full title: Photovoltaics in buildings - Part 3: Determination methodology for the solar heat gain coefficient of building-integrated photovoltaic modules
- Status: Current
- Publication date: 2026-08-25
- ICS classification: 27, 27.160
- Technical committee: TC 82

Scope and Application

The Technical Specification sets out a versatile method to determine the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC or g value) of BIPV modules with a variety of designs. It addresses the calorimetric determination of the g value by using the hot box method or the cooled plate method in accordance with ISO 19467 and ISO 19467-2. Both methods are established approaches for measuring thermal and solar transmission properties of building components.
A distinctive aspect of this methodology is its treatment of electrical energy extraction. The method accounts for the effect on the g value of extracting photovoltaically generated electricity from the BIPV module in the maximum power point state. This reflects real operating conditions, since a functioning BIPV module converts part of the incident solar energy into electricity rather than heat.
The document applies to BIPV modules as defined in IEC 63092-1. It specifically covers BIPV modules with different effective cell area ratios but consisting of identical components such as cells, interconnects, encapsulation and front/back sheets. The evaluation method is applicable to all PV cell technologies and includes coloured BIPV modules.

Products and Materials Covered

The products in scope are building-integrated photovoltaic modules, meaning PV modules that form part of the building envelope rather than being mounted separately. Under the ICS classification 27.160, which covers solar energy engineering, the document serves manufacturers and evaluators of glazed and laminated PV constructions used in façades, roofs and similar applications.
Materials explicitly referenced in the scope include the constituent layers of a BIPV module: PV cells, interconnects, encapsulation, and front and back sheets. Modules may vary in effective cell area ratio while sharing these identical components. The methodology also extends to coloured BIPV modules, which are increasingly specified in architecture where appearance matters, and it is stated to apply to all PV cell technologies without restriction by cell type.

Testing and Compliance Considerations

Laboratories applying this Technical Specification typically treat the determination as a type test: a representative module specimen is placed in calorimetric apparatus, exposed under defined conditions, and measured using the hot box or cooled plate method as referenced. Because the method accounts for maximum power point operation, the electrical load state of the specimen during measurement is part of the test arrangement and must be documented.
For procurement and quality purposes, a test report should record the module construction, cell technology, effective cell area ratio, the measurement method used, and the resulting g value. When a product family shares identical components but differs in cell area ratio, evaluators may use determination results to characterise the range, provided the conditions in the specification are met.
Retest triggers generally include material or design changes affecting cells, interconnects, encapsulation or sheets, or changes in cell area ratio outside the evaluated range. As a Technical Specification rather than an International Standard, it collects measurement methodology that may later mature into a full standard; users should confirm its status with official IEC sources when citing it in contracts.

Related Standards and Series Context

The designation IEC TS 63092-3:2026 identifies several structural features. "IEC TS" indicates a Technical Specification, a normative document type used when the technology is still developing or consensus on a full standard is not yet reached. "63092" is the series number covering photovoltaics in buildings, and "-3" marks this as Part 3 of that series, indicating that related parts exist under the same series number.
"2026" is the edition year, corresponding to the publication date of 2026-08-25. The document carries a double logo with ISO technical committee 160, Glass in building, reflecting the joint interest of the photovoltaic and building-glass communities in this measurement methodology. Readers who need the document itself should obtain it from official IEC or ISO distribution channels; this page is an interpretive overview only.