Glass Spandrels and Shadow Boxes
Glass spandrels are a common design strategy utilized to opacify floor levels in building facades. These opaque glass assemblies are integrated into…
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The Myth of Simplicity
There were good why reasons early US Modernism first evolved in California– wide open sites with no constraints (physical or zoning), and effectively… -
Form Follows Well-Being
Recent planning recognizes a growing demand for buildings that provide higher levels of occupant well-being. Often, well-being in buildings is… -
Kinetic Solar Envelope
Kinetic responsive systems are gaining attention in architectural applications, to reduce the building’s energy consumption and environmental impact,
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More Than a Facade
In 2014, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) as an accredited ANSI Standards… -
Inside the Box
The trend towards modular and unitized facades continues to grow in popularity due largely in part to the efficiencies gained in terms of cost and… -
Novel Thermal Break Solution
Thermal-break-blanket technology is a novel and high-performance thermal break solution for aluminum curtain walls. The thermal-break-blanket is
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Novel Active Facade Systems and Their Energy Performance in Commercial Buildings
This article presents results of a research study that focuses on understanding energy performance of novel facade systems that integrate
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Parametric Louver System
The Parametric Louver System is a customized tool that expedites several design iterations while embedding multiple design parameters. The ambition
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The Carapace Pavilion
The Carapace Pavilion is a university-based, design-build, full-scale custom prototype for a possible replacement of the standard precast concrete
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Stainless Steel 101
This paper presents a summary of the industry advances beyond T304 and T316 austenitic stainless steels. The greater availability of precipitation… -
When Facades Kill
The tragic fire of June 14, 2017 at the Grenfell Tower in London, England has brought to a very public global forum issues related to the impact of
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Unitized Curtain Wall
Unitized curtain wall has become ubiquitous in contemporary facade design and construction due to advantages associated with speed of erection, lower… -
International Facade Education
Globalization in the construction industry has brought about new demands for buildings and construction projects, new demands that still need to take… -
Elliptical Ways
Construction projects almost invariably encounter a critical stage at the moment of handover between the designing and the executing party. At this… -
Climate-Oriented Prefabricated Building Envelopes
Facades developed in response to climactic factors increase performance and human comfort while reducing energy loads. A single building envelope
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Verifying Thermal Performance
Architects specify curtain wall thermal performance criteria and usually identify simple modeling software, like THERM, to perform thermal analysis… -
Vertical Louvered Solar Control
Exterior shading devices, when typically used, are horizontal planes that are most effective at the south face of buildings in the northern… -
Vintage Vinyl
Mid-century through 1980’s buildings with lock-strip or “zipper-gasket” glazing systems are an ever present part of the urban landscape in many… -
Working With Big Data
Big data is having a noticeable impact on enclosure engineering design. With continuing advancements that liberate the geometrical form and the