Google turned to SunStyle for the construction of their first-ever ground-up campus in California after realizing that beauty and efficiency could be combined through the integration of renewable energy technologies into the building. The campus design was based on three core values: innovation, nature, and community. The direct integration of solar tiles into the construction was perfectly aligned with this vision. 

Our teams worked tirelessly to develop the best solutions for this major project, focusing on delivering impactful innovation. Due to the unconventional shape of the building, conventional solar roof tiles would have offered much lower efficiency; the canopy’s unique design with multiple openings challenged existing practices and required experimentation, prototyping, testing, and rapid iteration. With SunStyle’s expertise, 90,000 Dragonscale solar tiles were successfully integrated across four buildings, overcoming significant technological barriers. 

The color of the solar tiles was a key point of discussion, balancing functionality with aesthetics, as black tiles were more efficient than the originally envisioned white. A compromise was reached thanks to SunStyle’s innovative solutions, using silver-grey Dragonscale tiles that allow for solar production 365 days a year. Another innovation introduced for this project was the use of highly textured prismatic glass tiles with a unique coating for the Dragonscale roof. These tiles trap light more effectively than traditional flat panels and reduce reflective glare, which can be problematic for aviation. 

This groundbreaking project is an exemplary case of achieving a perfect synergy between energy efficiency, technology, aesthetics, and design. The installed tiles will generate 7 megawatts of renewable energy, covering about 40% of the campus’s annual needs, while perfectly fitting the unique design of the building. 

These innovations were designed to be economically viable and replicable across the building industry. SunStyle and Google aimed to set a precedent for large-scale sustainable building solutions, and they succeeded. 

“Obviously, the Dragonscale solar panels were an important feature [of the development]. To me, it’s kind of a statement, just showing that building solar roofs can be aesthetically incredible.” — Sundar Pichai, Google & Alphabet CEO