Building-Integrated Wind Turbines in Urban Environments: A Case Study From Agh’S Center of Energy

¹ AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, Krakow, Poland
² AGH University of Science and Technology Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Krakow, Poland

^* Corresponding author: filipow@agh.edu.pl

Abstract

The deployment of numerous small wind turbines in densely populated urban areas offers significant potential for augmenting wind energy capture and advancing distributed generation architectures. Integrating compact wind units alongside building-integrated photovoltaics, waste-heat recovery systems, and energy storage creates resilient, complementary energy solutions—where nocturnal wind generation can offset the intermittency of solar power. In this context, building-integrated wind energy generators (BIWTs) merit careful evaluation. This paper presents a case study of a 1 kW BIWT mounted on the Center of Energy at AGH University of Science and Technology. A dedicated monitoring system recorded continuous data on wind velocity, wind direction, power spectra, electrical output, acoustic emissions, and structural vibrations. Owing to complex interactions between airflow and the building envelope, BIWT behaviour diverges substantially from that of turbines in open terrain: flow distortions induced by façades and roof geometry create novel harvesting conditions that must be quantified. Our analysis characterizes these urban wind patterns, assesses power production under varying conditions, and evaluates environmental impacts, thereby informing optimized design and integration strategies for small-scale urban wind energy systems.