Textiles are recently applied as façade cladding systems in new constructions as well as in retrofitting practices of existing buildings. The external vertical cladding market is characterized by several systems based on a wide range of cladding panels, offering cost-effective and attractive solutions. However, the increasing importance given today to the environmental compatibility leads designers to combine both the use of energy efficient materials and the technical solutions that try to maximize material savings. In this framework the paper focuses on some types of translucent cladding systems, in order to analyze their building techniques and the ratio between the “lightness” of the cladding layers and the fixing systems on the building walls. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment of the environmental impacts between three lightweight textile facade systems and two main common translucent systems currently on the market (U-Glass and Polycarbonate), designed for the retrofitting project of a social housing building placed in Milan, has been carried out. The objective of the paper is to debate on the potentials and limits of the textile façade systems and to suggest critical hitches, on which the manufacturing companies should work, and the designers should think during the envelope and façade modularity design, to improve the benefits of the use of lightweight membranes as a new kind of free-form façade, overcoming the current cladding modularity and optimizing the ratio between fabric panels and supporting elements.

Life cycle assessment of textile façades, beyond the current cladding systems.

MONTICELLI, CAROL;ZANELLI, ALESSANDRA;CAMPIOLI, ANDREA
2013-01-01

Abstract

Textiles are recently applied as façade cladding systems in new constructions as well as in retrofitting practices of existing buildings. The external vertical cladding market is characterized by several systems based on a wide range of cladding panels, offering cost-effective and attractive solutions. However, the increasing importance given today to the environmental compatibility leads designers to combine both the use of energy efficient materials and the technical solutions that try to maximize material savings. In this framework the paper focuses on some types of translucent cladding systems, in order to analyze their building techniques and the ratio between the “lightness” of the cladding layers and the fixing systems on the building walls. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment of the environmental impacts between three lightweight textile facade systems and two main common translucent systems currently on the market (U-Glass and Polycarbonate), designed for the retrofitting project of a social housing building placed in Milan, has been carried out. The objective of the paper is to debate on the potentials and limits of the textile façade systems and to suggest critical hitches, on which the manufacturing companies should work, and the designers should think during the envelope and façade modularity design, to improve the benefits of the use of lightweight membranes as a new kind of free-form façade, overcoming the current cladding modularity and optimizing the ratio between fabric panels and supporting elements.
2013
[Re]thinking lightweight structures - Tensinet Symposium - Istambul 2013
9789072325068
Life cycle assessment; Textile façades; fixing systems; adaptive pattern
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Paper LCA facades.pdf

Accesso riservato

: Post-Print (DRAFT o Author’s Accepted Manuscript-AAM)
Dimensione 9.18 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
9.18 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/844602
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact