Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Snapshot

Country	Germany
City	Freiburg
Tier	Extended
Primary ecosystem	Applied Energy
Unit	Lab Characterization of Functional Surfaces
Unit	TestLab Solar Façades (ISO/IEC 17025 accredited)

Why it matters internationally

Europe’s largest solar research institute operates an accredited measurement chain for the two radiative quantities that govern every passive surface: solar absorptance and thermal emissivity. Its integrating-sphere FTIR capability (to 17 µm) and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation make it a reference for applied, standards-conformant emissivity characterization of building and energy materials.

Scope of activity

Quantities: spectral hemispherical reflectance · spectral hemispherical transmittance · solar absorptance · thermal emissivity
Spectral range: 0.3–2.4 µm and 1.9–17 µm (FTIR + integrating spheres)
Temperature: room temperature (spectrophotometric)
Methodology: Spectral hemispherical reflectance and transmittance via spectrophotometer and FTIR with integrating spheres; computes solar absorptance, thermal emissivity, and the Solar Reflectance Index per ASTM E1980; ISO/IEC 17025-accredited façade and solar testing.

Application domains: solar façades and building envelopes · functional and selective surfaces · cool surfaces (SRI per ASTM E1980).

External sources

Traceability

Every claim in this profile traces to the external sources listed above. Profile follows the research-map methodology. Added to the directory: 2026-06-11 (verified against the institution’s public pages or peer-reviewed publications).