Dynamic façade environmental control systems Seminar Report : 2018-2019
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.General
In recent years, contemporary architecture has been deeply influenced by the
urgent need for reducing harmful emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The
building sector constitutes in fact one of the most energy consuming sectors of the world
economy. However, buildings are also potentials and powerful agents able to carry out
with effectiveness and relatively rapid’s time actions to minimize emissions, through the
drastic reduction of their energy consumption. With regard to energy consumption,
sustainable building is often directed at energy-efficient use of fossil fuels and the
generation of renewable energy through technical appliances. These measures may be
considered adjustments to a furthermore traditional way of building, ignoring the fact that
the building itself can be innovated to an intelligent, responsive or even proactive device.
From this perception, the building is to be fire-tuned to its environments and
interact intelligently with local characteristics such as: climate, type of soil and
surroundings. This interaction is most logically performed by the building skin: the roof,
the ground floor and the façade, where in changeable climates the use of building mass of
the thermally subsoil is an effective means to smooth big temperature differences
In this paper, the concept of dynamic facades will be explored. Also, the importance of
active facades according to their design and types will be discussed. The paper will
present the role of building facades particularly “dynamic facades” as an innovative
solution that makes buildings sustainable to different conditions and responsive to
different environmental needs. In addition, the paper analyzes two applications in
different regions with different climates that deal with technological and environmental
aspects in sustainable building skins and their role in fulfilling the environmental
demands.
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 1
,Dynamic façade environmental control systems Seminar Report : 2018-2019
1.2.The Building Skin as a Seperating and Linking Element between Inside and
Outside
Despite changed cultural, economic, building technological and energetic
parameters, the principal task of architecture is still to create a comfortable “shelter”. In
other words, the fundamental aim of a building is to protect people from the external
climate conditions, such as intensive solar radiation, extreme temperatures, precipitation
and wind. In construction, the building skin is the primary subsystem through which
prevailing external conditions can be influenced and regulated to meet the comfort
requirements of the user inside the building. Like the skin and clothing of humans, this
raiment, too, fulfills the tasks demand of it by performing a number of functions made
possible by means of the appropriate design and construction.
The building skin is the dominant system in all subsystems of a building-the load
bearing structure, mechanical services and spatial framework-not only in terms of design,
but also fulfill a multitude of vital functions and is a principal factor in the energy
consumption of a building
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 2
, Dynamic façade environmental control systems Seminar Report : 2018-2019
2.CONCEPT OF DYNAMIC FACADE
The facade is a strategic element because it is the most visible part of the building.
This leads to an improvement in environmental and appearance performances of a
building. The facade also exchanges energy with the external environment, this increases
energy performance. The façade protects structures and interiors of the building and this
contributes to the extension of the life of the building .Thus, the building’s façade should
function as a mediator between the external and internal environments which can be
entrusted with multiple vital functions that dictate the building’s energy consumption and
which determine the indoor environmental quality . Dynamic facades are “facades with
the ability to respond to their environment by either typological change of material
properties that alter the overall form or local alteration by regulating their energy
consumption to reflect the environmental conditions that surrounds it”.
Traditionally, the design of a building’s façade is “static”, where the external
environmental boundary conditions are designed to be constantly changing. As a result,
traditional facades are not capable of adapting and responding to various changes that
they are exposed to. According to a recently completed project of the International
Agency – Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme, the
development, application and the implementation of dynamic facades provide a necessary
step towards creating improvements for energy efficiency within building environments.
However, through the use of dynamic facades, the buildings have the ability to react to
these conditions with improved energy efficiency in the building .Facades that respond to
the environment are considered as part of the building’s envelope in a primarily different
way. Dynamic facades actively adapt to their behavior over time in response to changing
environmental conditions and performance requirements. The term “dynamic” in
architecture has been described as the ability of artificial and natural systems to adapt to
varying environmental conditions. Also, this term is used to describe the interaction
between external environmental conditions and the façade systems. Thus, environmental
conditions can encompass a range of different elements such as daylight, wind and heat.
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 3
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.General
In recent years, contemporary architecture has been deeply influenced by the
urgent need for reducing harmful emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The
building sector constitutes in fact one of the most energy consuming sectors of the world
economy. However, buildings are also potentials and powerful agents able to carry out
with effectiveness and relatively rapid’s time actions to minimize emissions, through the
drastic reduction of their energy consumption. With regard to energy consumption,
sustainable building is often directed at energy-efficient use of fossil fuels and the
generation of renewable energy through technical appliances. These measures may be
considered adjustments to a furthermore traditional way of building, ignoring the fact that
the building itself can be innovated to an intelligent, responsive or even proactive device.
From this perception, the building is to be fire-tuned to its environments and
interact intelligently with local characteristics such as: climate, type of soil and
surroundings. This interaction is most logically performed by the building skin: the roof,
the ground floor and the façade, where in changeable climates the use of building mass of
the thermally subsoil is an effective means to smooth big temperature differences
In this paper, the concept of dynamic facades will be explored. Also, the importance of
active facades according to their design and types will be discussed. The paper will
present the role of building facades particularly “dynamic facades” as an innovative
solution that makes buildings sustainable to different conditions and responsive to
different environmental needs. In addition, the paper analyzes two applications in
different regions with different climates that deal with technological and environmental
aspects in sustainable building skins and their role in fulfilling the environmental
demands.
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 1
,Dynamic façade environmental control systems Seminar Report : 2018-2019
1.2.The Building Skin as a Seperating and Linking Element between Inside and
Outside
Despite changed cultural, economic, building technological and energetic
parameters, the principal task of architecture is still to create a comfortable “shelter”. In
other words, the fundamental aim of a building is to protect people from the external
climate conditions, such as intensive solar radiation, extreme temperatures, precipitation
and wind. In construction, the building skin is the primary subsystem through which
prevailing external conditions can be influenced and regulated to meet the comfort
requirements of the user inside the building. Like the skin and clothing of humans, this
raiment, too, fulfills the tasks demand of it by performing a number of functions made
possible by means of the appropriate design and construction.
The building skin is the dominant system in all subsystems of a building-the load
bearing structure, mechanical services and spatial framework-not only in terms of design,
but also fulfill a multitude of vital functions and is a principal factor in the energy
consumption of a building
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 2
, Dynamic façade environmental control systems Seminar Report : 2018-2019
2.CONCEPT OF DYNAMIC FACADE
The facade is a strategic element because it is the most visible part of the building.
This leads to an improvement in environmental and appearance performances of a
building. The facade also exchanges energy with the external environment, this increases
energy performance. The façade protects structures and interiors of the building and this
contributes to the extension of the life of the building .Thus, the building’s façade should
function as a mediator between the external and internal environments which can be
entrusted with multiple vital functions that dictate the building’s energy consumption and
which determine the indoor environmental quality . Dynamic facades are “facades with
the ability to respond to their environment by either typological change of material
properties that alter the overall form or local alteration by regulating their energy
consumption to reflect the environmental conditions that surrounds it”.
Traditionally, the design of a building’s façade is “static”, where the external
environmental boundary conditions are designed to be constantly changing. As a result,
traditional facades are not capable of adapting and responding to various changes that
they are exposed to. According to a recently completed project of the International
Agency – Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme, the
development, application and the implementation of dynamic facades provide a necessary
step towards creating improvements for energy efficiency within building environments.
However, through the use of dynamic facades, the buildings have the ability to react to
these conditions with improved energy efficiency in the building .Facades that respond to
the environment are considered as part of the building’s envelope in a primarily different
way. Dynamic facades actively adapt to their behavior over time in response to changing
environmental conditions and performance requirements. The term “dynamic” in
architecture has been described as the ability of artificial and natural systems to adapt to
varying environmental conditions. Also, this term is used to describe the interaction
between external environmental conditions and the façade systems. Thus, environmental
conditions can encompass a range of different elements such as daylight, wind and heat.
Department of Civil Engineering, MEAEC Page | 3
