To plan, develop and implement novel tensile membrane structures and also adaptable textile-covered building facades integrating tensile photovoltaic membranes for energy harvesting and environmental control.

This collaborative R&D project focusses on meeting the large market opportunity (estimated >$1B global market by 2018) for developing a viable low cost production route for clear, flexible, high and ultra-barrier, polymer based substrates and encapsulant materials, for photovolatic applications (including thin film inorganic, organic and dye-sensitized (DSSC) solar cells); flexible organic solid state lighting applications; and flexible lightweight robust display applications. The processes developed will be compatible with in-line process tools, that are viable and scalable to commercial material widths (1m+) and production line speeds. The structure of the flexible barrier material will overcome market brick walls with current products such as cost, barrier performance and suffcient barrier retention with time.