Glass Façades with High Performance and Low Impact. Towards an Integrated Approach.

For centuries, the main functionality of glass elements in façades has been to meet three principal requirements: to let in daylight, to grant a direct view of the immediate surroundings and, at the same time, to provide protection against wind and rain. The use of glass in architectural applications, especially in façades, has spread recently, in order to meet the current trends of lightness, robustness and energy efficiency. The glass is also suitable to be used in historical contexts, or in general, in redevelopment of existing buildings or areas. The aim is often to create a transparent, airy and light building, providing a futuristic outlook. The present research, divided into two sections, aims to identify the major methodological issues to support the development of glass façades design and construction process. The purpose is to support the architectural designer to consider the issues, the available solutions and the main elements to be evaluated in the choice of a glass façade, especially in the early stages of design. The thesis introduces the aspects of integration, identifies some of the key challenges and unfolds a scenario for a novel approach to environmentally sustainable glass systems. The purpose is to facilitate high performance/low impact architecture, where high performance is meant to include sustainability in this context. Part of the research study has been developed during a research period at the Glass and Façades Technology Research Group (gFT) based at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr. Mauro Overend. The main focus during the research period has been the development of a process map for glass façades intended for renovation projects.