12.12.2025 | Case story
The building sector is responsible for 37% of global emissions. By placing solar panel facades on buildings, SolarLab increases renewable energy generation without large plots of land. Nefco provided SolarLab with a EUR 1.6 million loan to move solar panel lamination to Denmark and to open a sales office in America. Now they have greater design flexibility, a shorter supply chain and more opportunities for growth in the world’s largest economy.
The energy consumed by the building sector is growing by about 1% annually, despite continuous efficiency improvements. Many developers, owners and building tenants want to use as much renewable energy as they can, both for economic and environmental reasons.
“Solar photovoltaics are popular, but they take up a lot of space,” explains Anders Smith, CEO of the Danish company SolarLab. “In Denmark we call them ‘iron fields’ because a solar farm looks like a huge field of shiny iron.”
Putting solar panels on buildings using traditional methods is problematic. There is limited space on the roofs of large buildings, and often building owners would rather use that valuable location for tenants, like rooftop restaurants. Solar panels attached to the side of a building can be expensive, cause structural strain and have safety and reliability concerns. SolarLab developed an ingenious solution: instead of attaching solar panels to a facade, make solar panels the facade itself.
Innovative solar panel facades
“Nearly every building has a facade as the outer shell,” explains Søren Berg Rasmussen, Investment Manager at Nefco. “Instead of adding a new structure to a building, SolarLab replaced one element with another. The solar panels are multifunctional, acting as the facade as well as a source of renewable electricity.”
Founded in 2012, SolarLab offers customisable solar facade solutions, including all cladding and electrical components, for new builds and retrofits. One of the most striking features is that a casual observer may not even realise they are solar panels. They appear to be decorative mullions, windows or glass panels.
“I’m an architect, so I understand the importance of an attractive building,” Smith continues. “If you are building a new headquarters for your company you want design freedom, so it doesn’t look like all the neighbouring buildings.”
Expansion in the USA
Acting on a suggestion from the Confederation of Danish Industry, SolarLab approached Nefco regarding funding. In 2024, the company secured a EUR 1.6 million loan from Nefco to help SolarLab relocate production to Denmark and open a sales office in the United States.
“When possible, we collaborate with other financiers to create synergies that benefit our clients,” Rasmussen says. “In SolarLab’s case, for example, the Export & Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) also supported the expansion through its own programmes, which complemented our efforts well.”
Having their solar panel lamination line in Denmark supports local jobs and businesses, shortens their supply chain, and gives SolarLab lower costs and greater design freedom. A complex job might need hundreds of different sized panels.
“We see a lot of demand in North America,” says Smith. “Different clients have different priorities. Some might come to us to lower operational costs, while others are interested in environmental benefits, while still others look for longevity; these solar facades can last as long as a traditional facade.”
A sunny future for solar power
SolarLab has installed its solar panel solution on schools, hospitals, hotels, offices and homes all over the world. One of their newest projects, the new Logan Express terminal and car park at Boston Logan International Airport, generates about half of its energy from SolarLab’s custom solar facade.
“Data centres are another growth opportunity,” Smith says. “They are hungry for power, already have the necessary energy grid, and don’t need windows. They would be perfect.”
There has been some political pushback against environmental initiatives, but SolarLab continues to see high demand for their solar facades.
The future looks bright and sunny! The number and scale of our projects keep increasing.
Anders Smith, CEO of SolarLab
“We have had a good experience with Nefco. I hope Nordic SMEs don’t hold back from contacting them. The application process is straightforward, and they have a supportive team to help.”
Text: David J. Cord
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Check out Nefco’s loans and equity investments for scaling up Nordic green solutions on global markets. View also our other financing options for operational growth or financial support for new market entry.
