In the course of renewing the rooftop of the Pope Paul VI audience chamber, the Vatican had opted for a photovoltaic installation the size of a soccer field. The reason for this decision is that environmental protection and the promotion of renewable energy have become major commitments of the current papacy.

The photovoltaic installation is intended to provide more than 300,000 kWh of electricity a year and thus to supply the audience chamber with the energy needed for lighting, heating and cooling. Further, the installation will offset 225 tons of CO₂ emissions. The construction allows the collection of solar radiation with the assistance of reflective materials; thereby ensuring optimal electricity generation. Moreover, the shade generated on the roof by the solar panels will reduce the energy required for air conditioning.

The redesign of the papal audience chamber’s roof is exemplary not only from an ecological point of view. The project also satisfies the rules of the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites. The solar panels are optimally adapted to the fan shape of the building’s challenging architectural design so that the particular undulating structure of the roof and its associated aesthetic appeal might be maintained.

This exemplary solar architecture is owed to the Vatican and the careful research of Italian scientists and the architect Prof Livio de Santoli of the University of Rome.

The Pope Paul VI audience chamber can serve as a model in Europe and globally for the ecological redesign of buildings in historic settings.

Congratulations to the State of the Vatican City, Winner of the European Solar Prize 2008.

Contact address:
Governatorato della città del Vaticano
00120 Città del Vaticano
Stato della Città del Vaticano

Presentation movie (with english subtitles)