Collaborative Methodology for Fastracking Challenging Facade Concepts
Sign in and Register
Create an Account
Overview
Abstract
The goal is to explore the role and methodology employed between the architect and engineer as they look to resolve the opposing demands of design aesthetics and performance. The challenge under review is to resolve the architectural requirement for transparency with the demand for an efficient and effective means of controlling the climatic extremes typical to the projects location in the Qujiang New District of Xian, PRC.
Through the early use of conceptual 3D energy modeling techniques and direct feedback the design team could quickly confirm their initial concept and from there determine the appropriate selection of facade materials and natural ventilation controls. This can be further tested and tuned throughout the design process to match the technical, economic and schedule restraints common to Chinese construction methods and building code demands.
The resulting multi skin facade solution can be fully modeled and its performance calculated in order to fix the building energy loads, prove the efficiency of the system while maintaining the visual requirements. The early integration of design and engineering through a series of energy modeling scenarios can be demonstrated to effectively resolve what initially may be seen as an irrational and irreconcilable concept.
Authors
Stuart Berriman
GB Design
stuartb@design-gb.com
Peter Simmonds, Ph.D., FASHRAE, FIBPSA, FFTI
Principal
Building and Systems Analytics
peter@petersimmonds.com
Keywords
The Challenge
The client’s requirements for the Cinema Glass Box raised several challenging issues. These were defined by
Access Restricted
Initial Response
The client was reticent to appoint a specialist directly so the design team (GBD + BSA) had to agree to an initial study with very clearly defined aims:
Early feedback toAccess Restricted
Further Investigation
The expression ‘multiple skin façade’ (MSF) covers a whole myriad of façade typologies, however we will restrict this to the following description:
‘A multiple skin façade is a building envelope construction
Access Restricted
Glazing and Facade Analysis
Commercial buildings with high performance façades are very energy efficient buildings. The challenge in designing a building with such a unique enclosure is to fully understand the physics of the
Access Restricted
Calculations to Determine the Optimal Ventilation Opening
Multiple skin facades provide a good example of the occurrence of pressure differences. As a result of insolation, the air in the cavity between the two skins becomes warmer than
Access Restricted
Results
The temperatures in the cavity are important as the MSF absorbs a
Access Restricted
Energy Load Calculations
The aim of a well-designed MSF is to reduce the energy consumption of the space it encompasses. This MSF was designed to reduce the energy consumption of the lobby, which
Access Restricted
Conclusions
The energy modelling proves the performance benefits of the MSF over a standard façade approach:
The MSF allows the use of ultra-clear external glass to maximize views of the LEDAccess Restricted
Acknowledgements
Preema Modi for all her graphical work.
Rights and Permissions
ASHRAE 2017. ASHRAE handbook - 2017 fundamentals. Atlanta: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
Fanger P.O., 1972, "Thermal comfort analysis and applications in environmental engineering", Mc Graw-Hill, New York.
ISO 7730 1984, "Moderate thermal environments - determination of the PMV and PPD indices and specification of the condition for thermal comfort.” International standard ISO 7730, International Organization for Standardization.
ROOM - "A method to predict thermal comfort at any point in a space", Copyright OASYS Ltd. developed by ARUP Research and Development, London, England.
Simmonds P., 1991 "A Building’s Thermal Inertia", CIBSE National Conference 1991.
Simmonds P., 1991 "The Utilization and Optimization of a Building's Thermal Inertia in Minimizing the Overall Energy Use", ASHRAE Transactions 1991 V97 Pt2.
Simmonds P., 1993 "Thermal comfort and optimal energy use", 1993, ASHRAE Transactions 1993 V99 Pt1.
Simmonds P., 1996 "Using CFD to analyze temperature stratification in a large airport building" ASME Fluid Conference San Diego 1996.
Simmonds P., 1996 “Creating a micro-climate in a large airport building to reduce energy consumption" ASHRAE Conference on buildings in hot and humid climates. Ft. Worth 1996.
Simmonds P. and Getov P, 2013, AIA Monterrey design Conference Epidermis/Hypothalamus: Building Envelope as a factor controlling occupant thermal comfort Co-Author
Simmonds P., 2013, 12th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies Designing an intelligent building skin for occupant comfort
Simmonds P. and Getov P., 2013, Building Enclosure Sustainability Symposium 2013, Designing a Breathing Skin Co-Author
Simmonds P. et al. 2012, Tilted Glazing in building simulations and its effect on form refinement of complex facades simbuild 2012 Co-Author
Welty J.R., Wicks E.E. and Wilson R.E. 1969, Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York.