Smart solar façades with linear concentrating photovoltaics: design, testing, economic and sustainability assessment

• Modular BILCPV system designed for vertical building integration and optimized solar energy performance. • Experimental validation of optical, thermal, and electrical performance under real outdoor conditions. • Uses high-efficiency PERC solar cells to boost energy output and enable cost-effective building integration. • Energy, economic, and sustainability analysis shows strong viability for net-zero and urban sustainability. • Bridges smart solar and low-carbon tech with building integration, enabling scalable urban adoption. Smart solar façades represent a promising approach to reducing building energy consumption and advancing net-zero goals. By incorporating concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, these systems can generate more electricity with reduced material use, enhancing both environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we designed, fabricated, tested, and analysed a smart solar façade featuring a linear concentrating element with a concentration ratio of 2.49 × . For the first time, standard Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells were integrated into such a configuration. The façade achieved a peak power generation of 174 W/m2 while transmitting 63 % of visible light, thereby maintaining natural daylight within interior spaces. Thermal analysis showed that under standard 1 sun illumination (1000 W/m2), the solar cell reached a peak temperature of 339 K. Additionally, a comprehensive economic evaluation indicated payback periods ranging from 7 to 11 years across various climatic zones, highlighting the system’s potential for widespread adoption in sustainable building applications. Beyond traditional economic assessment, this study incorporates a holistic sustainability analysis, including embodied carbon payback, climate-adaptive performance, and the potential to achieve green certification.