In architecture, façades can be considered as visual gateways to buildings. In addition to providing a watertight enclosure, façades also control the amount of natural lighting, ventilation, and thermal protection. Façades greatly influence the aesthetics of buildings and can also have a huge impact on their energy efficiency, lifespan, and ease of maintenance. Here are some parameters to consider while designing façades and fenestrations so they can create an incessant dialogue with the surroundings as well as the observer, in addition to being energy-efficient and sustainable. COMMUNICATING FAÇADES When considering building designs that communicate with its surroundings, façades have to be regarded with a keen design eye and sensitive outlook, as they are what first catches the attention of the spectator and sets the tone for the rest of the building. They can be often misinterpreted as static emotionless walls embracing trendy silhouettes and flashy materials, with little regard to...

A sustainable home in India should allow the Indian way of living in the current scenario. It should provide comfortable living conditions of yesteryears haveli's, yet look contemporary. We used to have bungalows with lush green envelopes, where an old fan was sufficient to gauze summer heat. Try designing a space where air conditioning is not a year-round necessity. The planning principles of inducing desirable microclimates can be combined with modern construction techniques to create smarter homes. Rather than blindly following what is happening in the world, we should see our environment and social needs as a parameter to design living units. Few techniques that we are trying to revive include stone and lime construction. These buildings withstand time and climate beautifully. They are breathable, living surfaces that combine to make a responsive space. Most sustainable techniques are taught to us in schools, like the size of windows in different...

India is growing vertically upwards, specifically in metro cities. Now, we all as colleagues in the construction industry are concerned about the MEP services, and the main structure (whether it be steel, concrete, or composite) - but believe me, only an iota of people are thinking of the façade during the planning stage and this is really ALARMING to me. [caption id="attachment_44255" align="alignright" width="217"] Confidence Tower Nagpur - (office and residential) rendered image comprising of double-skin façade systems for both areas. Aluminium perforation cladding used in the office area[/caption] But the fact is that a façade is the first barrier that has to perform for all the weather cycles, leakages (air & water), withstand the dead load, wind load (positive & negative), wind pressures during its entire life cycle, also stand up to the acoustical and thermal performance and all the above-incorporated within the architectural intent and aesthetics. Fabricators have...

This year, the theme for the World Environment Day is Ecosystem Restoration. Looking at finite resources, how can you define is sustainable development considering façade design for urban buildings? Façade is a medium between the inside and the outside. The type of enclosure defines the amount of energy to be transferred to maintain a comfortable environment without any negative impact. The main purpose of sustainable façades is to reduce the dependency of the building on artificial energy. This can be achieved by developing a geometry and placing the building with respect to the solar position, providing solar shading to control cooling loads and improving thermal comfort, using natural ventilation to reduce cooling loads and enhance air quality, minimising energy used for artificial lighting, mechanical cooling & heating by optimising exterior wall insulation, and the use of day-lighting. [caption id="attachment_44184" align="alignleft" width="300"] Double height DGU Glass with UPVC frames helps achieve...

By 2050 it is anticipated that there will be an extra two billion city dwellers across the globe and the general consensus is that sustainability can only be achieved by minimising the negative environmental impact of buildings by efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, development space and the ecosystem at large. A more sustainable approach to future façades is needed. There must be a common global goal, rather than individual agendas, and innovation of new energy efficiency products and optimisation of current façade space to create more sustainable buildings. This year World Environment Day on June 5 marked the formal launch of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a decade which efforts in preventing a major climate change and assisting the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact. It seems logical that the...

The key function of the building envelope is to reciprocate with the surrounding environment. Achieving energy plus building, a zero net energy building or even ultra-low energy building is an achievement by itself and progressive contribution towards sustainable built up environment. Apt design of building envelope as per surrounding environment facilitates to conserve or generate energy and hence contributes positively towards overall energy conservation and sustainability of the building. When we reciprocate the interior environment with the exterior we make conscious attempt to get the best of passive solar orientation, natural ventilation, day lighting, preferential views, protection from external environment/ organisms/ noise and the likes in addition to the aesthetic preferences. Façade screening design plays a vital role in achieving all these objectives in addition to energy conservation and sustainability. [caption id="attachment_43565" align="alignright" width="217"] Green Facade Shading[/caption] UAE is an emerging market with strong leadership where the entire nation is...

RSP is a well-known name in the architecture field. What makes you one of the leaders in the field? What is your key success mantra? RSP has been successfully in operation for 65 years and managed to complete over 2,500 projects worldwide. When we set up the design studio in 2009 we brought with us the expertise, skill-set, and creativity of the RSP legacy combined with our talented team on the ground that adds the local know-how and individual talent. RSP has been a global leader in educational, hospitality, mixed-use, and master planning projects for decades thanks to the vast in-house talent pool and exceptional clients that continuously push the boundaries and help us to excel. Our mantra is very simple - 1. Understand the client's brief 2. Produce a world-class design on time and budget 3. Deliver a sustainable and value adding project to our client’s portfolio. What are...

In the realm of architecture, the building envelope or the façade is increasingly becoming the most important component with regards to building performance and architectural design. As a synthesis of building elements, the façade acts as interface between the interiors and the exteriors. Thus, the manner in which we design this spatial boundary—to enable a seamless transition between two disparate environments is of critical relevance. For a multi-storeyed building, if we were to set aside the highestfloor or roof and conduct a solar insulation analysis (a study that quantifies the solar exposure incident on the building), we would observe that the lower floors receive solar exposure only from the façade. Hence, the façade acts as the only potential source of external heat gain from the sun and from conduction and convection through air. In this regard, façade treatment with respect to the climatic considerations is extremely significant, especially in urban...

Efficient buildings are designed to provide occupants with a comfortable, safe, and healthy living and work environment. This requires superior architecture and engineering designs, quality construction practices, and intelligent operation of the structures. According to a study in the USA, the major areas of energy consumption in buildings are heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—35% of total building energy and lighting consumes —11%. Façade and fenestration is often considered the biggest hurdle in achieving higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings. Building owners opt for the most efficient façade and fenestration system which contributes to energy conservation, thereby operational costs. This edition cover story on “Effective Fenestration Through Improved Designs & Systems” discusses key factors such as characteristics and main features of sustainable and efficient façades and fenestration, ideal wall-window ratio, and improved acoustics and thermal comfort through proper design and installation of fenestration. It also throws light on the ways...

The building envelope is often referred to as the skin of the building that protects the core from environmental damage. Largely understood as a tempering screen that wraps around the spatial arrangements to form a shelter. THE BUILDING ENVELOPE AND ITS FUNCTIONS Over the last few decades, these outer skins have seen dramatic evolution; while some were due to material advancements, some were due to developments in construction methods. The Indian subcontinent has always seen extreme climate and thus, the primary purpose of the building envelopes is to protect the occupants against the same. The lack of resources has often made us resourceful and thus passive solutions such as solar insolation, thermal mass, shading,   and natural ventilation, have always been integral to the way we build. Moreover, the development in building technology and building performance have led to a building envelope that designed so that the buildings are dependent on...

The cladding aims to withstand external weathering and offer durability and sustainability to the building façade. The choice in design and material of a façade is determined by factors such as the size and type of building, its geographical location, weather conditions it is exposed to etc. Energy efficiency is the main concern, besides its appearance. Today, the market offers a variety of materials for façades with abundant choices in designs and patterns. Large-size porcelain tiles and high-pressure laminates are in trend for their aesthetic value and sturdiness. Exterior Clad Laminated (ECL) high-pressure laminates and porcelain wall clads are used for the majority of structures. The products have anti-graffiti properties and offer flexibility in installation. These are high-grade and high-pressure compact laminates. Inspired by the colours and patterns of natural wood, the 6mm thick, laminates come in over 200 designs in grainy bark style or plain wood patterns. Mount matt...

What are the 4 key trends in exterior wall cladding? Cladding, besides decorative appeal, is beneficial with its isolating characteristics of the soundproof and thermal insulation. While considering all aspects given above, glass façades, ACP cladding, metal claddings and GFRC cladding panels, etc. are the most trending cladding material /solutions which are now improvised and used. How would clever use of cladding technologies and materials regulate daylight and ventilation as well as provide privacy? As an architect it’s our responsibility to make the building more climate responsive and hence the façade to be intelligent and adaptive. Such façades include rear ventilated, double skin, kinetic, etc. which show better performance index in varied aspects. [caption id="attachment_41732" align="alignleft" width="300"] IRICEN hostel building[/caption] According to you what is the most preferred and dominant cladding material in this industry at present and why? Glass has been the foremost choice across the country, although bemoaned...

In the current urban environment, the dazzling tall building with unconventional facade design is becoming increasingly trendy, with the increasing use of lightweight materials to build attractive seamless looking facades. However, the design of such façades has also become increasingly more susceptible to extreme wind events and has become a hot topic among façade engineers. Wind design codes are not able to cater for these complex façade systems and there are real risks of misuse of the codes for such façades, which can potentially lead to cladding failures with consequent risk to the public. Wind Codes are designed for simple rectangular prism forms or an amalgamation of a group of simple extruded rectangles. Any significant departure from this becomes problematic from the point of view of codification. The codes also do not provide any guidance with regards to wind actions on double skin façades or sunshade elements, which are becoming...

In a conversation with Architect Rahul Kadri Partner & Principal Architect at IMK Architects spoke on his practice, some of his recently completed and ongoing projects, the changes in façade and fenestration designs over the years, latest trends in façade & cladding material and technologies available in the Indian market, the key factors to consider while designing and installing façades & fenestration, and on future façades & fenestration designs and technologies. Here are the excerpts from the interview. Please tell us about your practice. [caption id="attachment_41359" align="alignleft" width="250"] Nehru Centre, Mumbai - Embellished with window and Jalis that symbolise rose petals associated with Nehru in the popular mind[/caption] IMK Architects was founded in 1957 by my father, I. M. Kadri. His body of work over the next few decades is a reflection of changing times and imaginations as our young nation navigated questions of tradition, modernity, business and politics on...

Introduction Over the last years, sustainability became a ‘household’ term in almost every business sector that we somehow grew tired just hearing about it. Mainly because Return-on-Investment-driven markets like most in the Middle East, used this more of a marketing tool than what is supposed to be its real essence. Combined with the commercial pressure on the market happening already before the Covid-19 pandemic, we could hardly feel its genuine implementation at all. Sustainability happens earlier than even choosing a façade material or a design. When you read the comprehensive meaning of sustainability, you may even be surprised at the areas it is covering and how they are connected to each other. A sustainable design developed by a company out of a sustainable corporate culture, is like a farmer who plows and fertilizes his land to ensure years of fruitful harvesting. He doesn’t focus on a short-term single profitability but...

Buildings are the largest energy consumer in the prevalent construction industry practices in our context. That makes it offer a unique boundless opportunity to protect the environment and conserve energy in a sustainable way. The combined crises of energy source depletion and significant climate change are generating a sense of urgency and fundamental changes in many industries including the construction industry. The heating and air-conditioning load and lighting load can be reduced through many means; notable among them is the proper design and selection of building envelope components. Façades are one of the most important contributors to the energy expenses and the vital comfort parameters of any building. It also is one of the essential considerations in the design, engineering, and operation of the buildings. The parameters affecting building envelope energy performances may be designed variables (e.g., configuration of the exterior wall) or design given inputs imposed by the context...