Building Transformation articles Future Façades | Page 7

Bioclimatic Second-Skin Façades
"Successful sustainable bioclimatic design requires material
selections that can last the structure or project’s life, taking into
account exposure to pollution, corrosive salts, and the likelihood of
manual or rain cleaning."
RMI 2008, Helzel & Taylor 2012, Hopkins 2012
Bioclimatic second-skin façades are effectively two façades layered typically
between 0.2 and 4.5 metres away from the environmental barrier. The
intermediate space can be used to moderate heat, light, wind, noise, pollution,
and other environmental stresses whilst windows can be computer controlled
to maximise natural ventilation.
A variety of technologies are currently being used as the second façade skin
such as louvers, woven mess, perforated screens or green plant screens. The
space in between the façades can provide shading, light and air redirection,
thermal load balancing, and resistance to heat loss and gain. During the winter,
these outer second skins can shelter the inner wall from winter storms, while
allowing the sunlight to enter and warm up the building, lowering heating
loads.
"The outer façade can cost effectively transform the appearance of
an existing building façade, but the main advantages of this type of
technology is the increase natural vitalisation, thermal insulation
and acoustic insulation, energy savings and reduced environmental
impacts."
ThyssenKrupp
AG Headquarters,
Germany
07
ThyssenKrupp AG worked with
TKQ architect consortium JSWD
Architekten and Chaix & Morel
to design a new seven building
corporate campus in Essen,
Germany.
The German Sustainable Building
Council (DGNB) has awarded the
project a Pre-certificate in Gold based
on the new German Certification
for Sustainable Buildings. Energy
requirements are expected to be 20
to 30% below statutory requirements.
All of the buildings are simple glazed
structures but their appearance
is unique because of their second
façade. The buildings are wrapped
in automated sunshade systems
with Type 316 stainless steel
horizontal and vertical slats or
custom perforated sunscreens.
These active motorised sunshade
systems have moveable triangular,
square and trapezoidal fins that are
automatically adjusted with changing
conditions to save energy. Used in
combination with natural ventilation,
the system eliminated the need for air
conditioning
Lund Institute of Technology, Double Skin Façade, 2006
The building inhabitants’ connections with their surroundings are improved by
thes e designs. The inner environmental barrier wall frequently has operable
windows or provides other provisions for ventilation. The second skin at least
partially shades the inner wall, reducing summer cooling requirements while
still allowing daylight to enter the building.
Stainless steel is being used for innovative, award-winning, bioclimatic projects
around the world because of its longevity and low maintenance requirements.
Electrochromic Glass
Electrochromic glass uses installed
photovoltaic cells that enable the
transition of thefaçade appearance
and rate of sunlight deflection.
Over the past 5 years there has
been vast improvement in the levels
of performance obtained from the
photovoltaic cells and as performance
increases the costs have decreased.
While glass is a favoured product
for use in building façades, glare,
solar heat gain and UV exposure
are problematic and can often make
the use of glass impractical resulting
in the need to invest in expensive
solar shading devices. Glass façades
using patented SPD light-control
technology reduce the need for air
conditioning during the summer
months and heating during winter.
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