The clothes used by nomadic peoples in the desert (Bedouins, Berbers, Tuareg, among others) are usually dark, long and made of heavy fabric. Contrary to common sense, which would recommend light, pale and short clothes for a hot climate; heavy and loose clothing favors air convection, creating a constant flow of air along the body, providing thermal comfort in arid climates. For buildings, the analogy works. When approaching energy efficiency and project performance, we will inevitably talk about its envelope, among other aspects of the project. A successful solution in one location, will not always be efficient in another.
During the last 2 years we have created a series of articles on wellness and sustainability focused on the construction industry. But how do projects, according to their demands and context, apply the solutions to make them, in fact, efficient and perform well?
The Curve / Chartier Dalix Architectes
The Curve, a commercial building in Paris completed in 2020, has a 40% lower energy consumption than that specified by the French thermal regulation for new buildings (RT 2021) and achieves high environmental targets: it meets the French HQE standard Excellent for commercial buildings and is BREEAM and Effinergie+ certified. This is due to the natural insulating properties of the wooden structure, but also to the performance of the openings, which feature COOL-LITE® XTREME solar control glass. It has a real selectivity greater than 2 (that is, more than twice the natural lighting level in relation to the solar hear transmitted to the interior) and a Ug value of down to 0.9W/m²K (the lower Ug the better thermal insulation).
Szervita Square Building / Antal Fekete, DVM Group and László Gellár
In this mixed-use building in Budapest, the Szervita Square Building, the architects designed the entire structure of the building with glass. The chosen glass, COOL-LITE® XTREME SILVER II, reflects the surrounding historic buildings, resulting in a lively collage of old and new. The reflective appearance is combined with high solar control, which blocks much of the solar radiation and ensures high user comfort and energy savings. This is one of the reasons the building was able to meet the requirements and to be the first LEED Platinum mixed-use development in the EU.
Muxikebarri Center of Performing Arts and Music School / LMU Arkitektura
At the Muxikebarri Center of Performing Arts and Music School, the architects of LMU Arkitektura managed to create a landmark in the city, incorporating the functions of a cultural center with environmental concerns and thermal and acoustic comfort for the occupants. According to the project's team: “The glazed façade planes constitute a double-layer system that inserts its buttresses inside, fixed by means of galvanized elements. In the south they function as ventilation devices for thermal regulation and in the north as thermal compensation instruments. The environment is created by adopting a system of wooden slats (standard profile 40cm x 20cm optimized in two pieces when cut diagonally) that works as a heat sink that extends to the entire project.”
Casa GZ / Studio Cáceres Lazo
With the new technologies that are now available in the market, using an extensive glass facade will not necessarily imply energy gains or losses. In the case of Casa GZ, by Studio Cáceres Lazo, the large pane of glass on the east facade is thermal glass, with high performance due to its low emissivity (the ability of glass to transfer heat between interior and exterior through thermal conduction).
WMS Boathouse at Clark Park / Studio Gang
For the WMS WMS Boathouse at Clark Park, Studio Gang Architects chose to use solar control glass in the large glazed areas. These products react to sunlight differently from ordinary glass, due to a special coating deposited on the glass surface during its manufacture. In this way, much of the heat is absorbed by the glass, but not emitted into the interior of the building. Because they are more reflective, much of the thermal energy is reflected outside. In this case, the choice of glass was important, as it was written in the project description by the responsible team: “The glazing allows the structure's floor to be heated in winter and ventilated in summer to minimize energy consumption throughout the year. ”
Tour Saint-Gobain / Valode & Pistre
For a company, the opportunity to build a headquarters is generally used to affirm its values to society. In the case of Saint-Gobain, a French manufacturer of a variety of different building materials, the architecture also needed to demonstrate sustainability and the pursuit of performance that the brand seeks to achieve in all its products. The Saint-Gobain Tower in La Défense, Paris, designed by Valode & Pistre can be compared to a set of three crystals that capture and diffuse light with a game of reflection and transparency. Large greenhouses contribute to the building's aura and environmental performance, while gardens on all floors can be accessed directly from the offices. Unlike most glass office buildings, the tower has great transparency and a dynamic silhouette due to the movement inside. Glass, which remains a highlight of the company's traditional activity, was chosen for this purpose, emphasizing aesthetic qualities and the properties of light transmission, thermal insulation and solar control.
Although several other factors influence the performance and energy efficiency of a building, facades play a key role, as they constitute the first barrier against heat, cold, wind and bad weather. And openings, such as doors and windows, often end up being identified as weak points and places where it is difficult to control heat loss and gain. This article sought to show that glass, if correctly specified and according to the demands of each project, can contribute to achieving a sustainable and good performance building.
