Human activity, including resource depletion, pollution and waste production, has a negative influence on the environment. Built environment is one of the major causes of the situation. It is essential to change the approach to building design to lessen the impact of human activity on the environment. Architects should be able to grasp and implement all aspects of sustainable design, including cutting edge technologies in a holistic and integral fashion. Building-integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) represent an important field to explore, since photovoltaic systems have an enormous potential to be used within the context of the city. Their implementation though, has to be s part of the integral design process which is essential for the creation of quality sustainable architecture. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the theoretical background behind, and the motivations for, the creation of an Architects´ Manual of Building-integrated Photovoltaics that would provide architects with a methodical guide to working with advanced photovoltaic systems in architectural design, concentrating primarily on their implementation in urban context including historical city centres.