An energy forum opened in this Italian town on Thursday to explore strategies for saving energy and present new ways of achieving affordable green buildings.

The seventh Energy Forum on Solar Building Skins attracted more than 250 participants from all over the world with a total of 24 presentations on 8 subjects, including "Evolving Solar Technologies," "Enhanced Daylighting and Shading" and "Solar Retrofitting."

Speakers are presenting the latest development in solar technologies, futuristic concepts such as "adaptive building skin, " and software for the simulation of passive houses, among others.

Andreas Karweger, organizer of the Energy Forum, told Xinhua that he believes the future of photovoltaic technology is still bright despite the headwinds from the European debt crisis.

"From 2020, new EU (European Union) laws will require new buildings to be constructed in a way that they actually achieve a zero energy balance," Karweger said.

"In smaller buildings, this can be achieved easily with the help of insulation and solar systems on the roof. However, when it comes to larger buildings, just utilizing the roof space is simply not enough," he said.

Created in 2006, the annual energy forum is aimed at providing a platform for architects, engineers, scientists, energy managers and manufacturers to exchange views on an integrated planning approach to sustainable buildings.