06 BM+CIV 2012 - Envelops Systems

Envelop systems
Envelope systems
Chair of Building Construction

Building Materials and Construction IV
FEKADU LEMMA & TADESSE GELAYE
Addis Ababa -Ethiopia P-1
Envelop systems
Main Resource Material

Envelop systems
1. What is a façade?
The facade is the wall of a building

· control access and security
· reduce temperature effects on the occupants
· admit daylight
· prevent rain penetration
· seal against cold or hot winds
· allow ventilation
· reduce noise penetration
· minimise energy consumption
Façade should be:
 cost effective,
 adequately strong and stiff,
 durable,
 easily constructed and
 maintained
Envelop systems
2. Classifying facades
Facades can be either load bearing or non

load bearing.
Non load bearing facades

– require a separate structural frame to
support the loads.
load bearing & non load bearing materials
– concrete
– masonry (brick and block)
– timber
– metal decking
– glass
Envelop systems
WALL SYSTEMS

Envelop systems
WALL SYSTEMS

Envelop systems
WALL SYSTEMS
Base framing details:
(a) base tube;
(b) base angle and flashing;
(c) base channel;
(d) base girt;
(e) base angle. Note: a notch in concrete can
be provided to align the exterior faces of metal
panel and concrete

Envelop systems
WALL SYSTEMS
Panel joints based on rain screen principle

Envelop systems
WALL SYSTEMS
Four basic types of insulation used in metal

buildings: (a) Fiberglass with laminated facing;
(b) foam boards; (c) pre-insulated panels;
(d) spray-on cellulose.

Envelop systems
Basic
Consideration
For Your
Façade Design

Envelop systems

Envelop systems

Envelop systems

Envelop systems

Envelop systems

Envelop systems
highly glazed building facades=Iconic element
• There is growing interest in highly glazed building facades, driven

by a variety of architectural, aesthetic, business and environmental
rationales.
• Building designers and owners have always been fascinated with
the extensive use of glass in building envelopes. Today the highly
glazed façade has almost become an iconic element.
• The environmental rationale appears plausible only if conventional
glazing systems are replaced by a new generation of high
performance, interactive, intelligent façade systems, that meet the
comfort and performance needs of occupants while satisfying
owner economic needs and broader societal environmental
concerns.

Envelop systems
Developments - historical
• 1960’s to the 1990’s innovation in glazing made heat absorbing glass,

reflective glass and double glazing,
• associated set of aesthetic features.
• In the last decade there has been a subtle shift from trying to optimize an
ideal, static design solution using these glazings to making the façade
responsive, interactive and even intelligent.
• More sophisticated design approaches and technologies have emerged

using new high-performance glazing, improved shading and solar control
systems, greater use of automated controls, and integration with other
building systems.

Envelop systems
Developments:- recent
• One relatively new architectural development is the double glass facade
that offers a cavity that can provide improved acoustics, better solar
control and enhanced ventilation.
• Taken to its ultimate development, an interactive façade should respond

intelligently and reliably to the changing outdoor conditions and internal
performance needs.
• It should exploit available natural energies for lighting, heating and

ventilation,
• should be able to provide large energy savings compared to conventional

technologies, and at the same time maintain optimal indoor visual and
thermal comfort conditions.

Envelop systems
• How can we convert a $15B/year energy problem into
a sustainable design solution?
• The interactive façade will have to include systems

that correct or moderate the performance of the glass
as the outdoor conditions change, also allowing for
individual occupant adjustment of the indoor comfort
parameters.
• A static all-glass envelope will not be able to give

optimal performance except for a few time periods
during the year.
• Adding blinds that are irregularly controlled by
occupants will not fundamentally change the
performance picture.
• The conclusion is that we need an intelligently

controlled, dynamic envelope.
Envelop systems
• current philosophy is to design the envelope with responsive, interactive

systems,
• often called “intelligent envelopes”
• These envelope systems should react sensibly to the changes in the

exterior climate and adjust solar gain, daylighting, heat loss,
ventilation, and venting to the changing needs of the occupants and
the building.

Envelop systems
The interactive façade concept is thus:-
1. effective to actively manage the changing climatic conditions and
occupant interior needs based on both changing tasks and variable
preferences.
2. offers more direct exploitation of the natural energy flows offered by the
external climate.
3. better utilization of energy flows is associated with daylighting and

useful solar gain, and include wind and buoyancy driven natural
ventilation, and building integrated photovoltaic systems, BIPV.

Envelop systems
• traditional role of the envelope as a filter is being replaced or

supplemented with a more active role as an energy collector and
transport system.
• new functions potentially add complexity and cost to the envelope, both
in hardware and in “process” (both design and operations).
• These systems will ultimately only be widely used if their overall lifecycle
benefits, measurable and perceived, exceed their costs and potential
liabilities.

Envelop systems
Double-skin façades
• two glass skins separated by a cavity ranging from 15 – 150 cm. The
double façade cavity serves several important functions.
• provides a protected location for shading systems, and excess solar gain
can be extracted from the cavity before it reaches the fully tempered areas
and result in over-heating.
• the cavity is also integrated in a natural ventilation scheme, which may

allow reduced investments in the ventilation system that can help pay for
the more costly façade.
• Double facades may also enable window opening in high-rise buildings

and reduce acoustic impacts of open windows with respect to street noise
in urban areas.
Envelop systems
Double-skin façades – cont.
• double-skin façades have become very popular in townscapes

Envelop systems
Double-skin façades – cont.
• A double-skin façade is essentially a pair of

glass skins separated by an air corridor (also
called cavity or intermediate space) ranging in
width from 20 cm to several meters.
• The glass skins may stretch over an entire

structure or a portion of it.
• The main layer of glass, usually insulating,

serves as part of a conventional structural wall
or a curtain wall, while the additional layer,
usually single glazing, is placed either in front
of or behind the main glazing.
• The layers make the air space between them

work to the building's advantage primarily as
insulation against temperature extremes
and sound.

Envelop systems
Advantages of Double-skin façades
• The cavity is connected with the outside air so

that the windows of the interior façade can be
opened, even in the case of tall buildings
subject to wind pressures; this enables natural
ventilation and night time cooling of the
building's thermal mass.
• In winter the cavity forms a thermal buffer

zone which reduces heat losses and enables
passive thermal gain from solar radiation.
• Two-layer façades improve sound insulation

properties by 5 to 30 decibels, depending on
the layout of the floors.

Envelop systems

• offer a protected place within the air gap to mount shading
and daylight-enhancing devices such as venetian blinds
and louvers.
• Sheltered from wind, rain and snow, these shading

devices are less expensive than systems mounted on the
exterior.
• When solar radiation is high, the façade cavity has to be

well ventilated, to prevent overheating. The key criteria
here are the width of the cavity and the size of the
ventilation openings in the outer skin.
• The air change between the environment and the cavity is

dependent on the wind pressure conditions on the
building's skin, the stack effect and the discharge
coefficient of the openings.
Envelop systems
• These vents can either be left open all the time (passive
systems), or opened by hand or by machine (active
system).
• Active systems are very complicated and therefore

expensive in terms of construction and maintenance.
• Further criteria in designing a double-skin façade are

regulations concerning fire and noise protection.

Envelop systems
Types of Double-Skin Façades
1 Building-High Double-Skin
Façades
• the cavity is not separated at each storey,

instead it extends over the whole height of
the building .
• air that accumulates at the top of the air

space between the two layers is likely to
get hot on sunny days. Openings in the
outer skin and at the roof edge siphon out
the warm air, while cooler replacement air
is drawn from near the base of the building.

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
The advantages of a building-high

cavity are:
• the outer skin protects the inner envelope
from wind, rain and snow
• sunblinds placed in the cavity are protected

from rain and hinder excessive solar
radiation from entering the room
• improved sound insulation
• provide security

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
problems of this façade type:
• not applicable for the natural window
ventilation, as drained air from the lower
floors would be additionally ventilated in the
higher floors.
• Noise transmits throughout the air space so
that sounds from the room above, below, or
either side invades any rooms with open
windows.
• Fire and smoke can also spread freely
through the air corridor.
• Further, the rising air that has been warmed
can re-enter the building through open
windows at the upper levels. To prevent this
from happening the full-high cavity is used
as a large shaft either for air inflow or
outflow.
Envelop systems
Types– cont.
2. Storey-High Double-Skin Façades
• The storey high double-skin façades
consists of air channels separated
horizontally at each intermediate floor.
advantages:
• provide security
• division into fire protection levels is possible
• natural window ventilation is possible

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
3. Box Double-Skin Façades
• Box double-skin façades are stock wise
ventilated façades with horizontal partitions
on each floor and vertical partition on each
window.
advantages:
• hidden and protected sunblind in the cavity
• improved sound insulation both horizontal
and vertical

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
3. Box Double-Skin Façades
• Provide security
• division into fire protection levels is

possible
• natural window ventilation is possible
The inlet and outlet vents are placed at each

floor.
Hence the lowest degree of air heating and
therefore the most effective level of natural
ventilation is to be expected.

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
4. Shaft Façades
A combination of a double skin façade with a
building-high and a storey-high cavities.
• The full-height cavity forms a central vertical
shaft for exhaust air. On both sides of this
vertical shaft and connected to it via
overflow openings are storey-high cavities.
• The warmed, exhaust air flows from the
storey-high cavity into the central vertical
shaft. There it rises, due to the stack effect
and escapes into the open at the top.
• The buoyancy in the shaft supports this flow
at the level of the lower floors in that as the
trapped air is warmed it is drawn upwards.

Envelop systems
Types– cont.
4. Shaft Façades
advantages:
• Sun-blinds placed in the cavity are protected
from rain and hinder excessive solar radiation
from entering the room
• Provides security
• natural window ventilation is possible, even

when there is little airflow outside, natural
ventilation of the building is ensured by the
buoyancy in the shaft.
Envelop systems
Types– cont.
4. Shaft Façades
However,
• at a certain height the pressure situation
reverses and the warmed air might return in
the storey-high cavities. For this reason it is
necessary to limit the height of the shaft.
• additional fire protection measures should be

taken for shaft façades because the central
vertical shaft can be filled with smoke through
several floors

Envelop systems
Examples:- Sanomatalo
• Sanomatalo is a very modern high tech building

in the sense of architecture, frame structure,
façade option and air-conditioning.
• The air-conditioning is using an energy saving
method (LON).
• The building's lighting-, cooling- and air-
conditioning equipment is adjusted according to
their real need.
• Fire protection is very modern in this building. A
sprinkler system covers the whole building.
Further fire detector and automatic fire
announcement system are installed in the
building.
• Special areas are supplied with gas extinction
systems, which use environmental friendly gas
(Inergen).

Envelop systems
Double-skin façade support structure: cantilever bracket
structure
Façade structure
• The façade's inner envelope was made out of
prefabricated elements.
• one floor high elements were connected to a cleat at the
intermediate floor slab.
• The frame of the façade forms a cantilever bracket and is
made of acid resistant steel.
• At the intermediate floor, hot galvanized steel brackets are
connected with bolted joints to the cleat.
• The brackets are connected to the cleats at 2700 mm
intervals.
• The vertical position can be adjusted with the help of the
cogging in the rail connection between the cleat and the
intermediate floor slab.
• The service platform in the intermediate space is made of
hot galvanized steel and the fasteners consist of acid
resistant steel.
Envelop systems
Outer and inner glass skins
The inner envelope consists of three glass layers:
- inner glass: toughened and laminated 6+4 mm, in between a
0,76 mm PVB
- middle glass: toughened 4 mm
- outer glass: toughened and coated selective sun protection glass
6 mm
- the in between space: argon and krypton gas
The outer envelop:
- toughened and laminated 6+6 mm glass panes
Cavity
• The cavity is closed and can be vented by motor-operated
vents at the top and bottom, which are controlled by
thermostats.
• The width of the intermediate space is 700 mm.
• A maintenance gondola fixed onto the girders of the roof
enables outside maintenance.
• The gondola has a rack for a glass pane.
• Inside maintenance is handled from the intermediate space with
a security cable wire.
Envelop systems
Examples:- Martela
Double-skin façade support structure: cantilever bracket
structure
Façade structure
• The double-skin façade is totally separated from the main
frame of the office building.
• The inner envelope is mounted on the concrete
foundations where the whole façade is also supported.
• The inner envelope is connected to a vertical I-profile
column going along the outer edges of the intermediate
floors from the foundation to the top.
• The inner envelope consists of an aluminium frame
element. The elements are prefabricated.
• The inner envelope is glazed
• An acid resistant steel bracket (120x80x5) supports the
doubleskin façade and acts as a corbel.
• The bracket goes through the inner envelope and is
connected to the I-profile column with a bolted connection.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Martela
• Inner envelope: (850 mm high and 2700 mm wide) - heat
insulating glass, 4 mm+4 mm laminated due to the rail
requirements
• Outer envelope: (one story high and 1350 mm wide) - 12

mm tempered glass
• The thickness of the outer envelope's glass pane 15…16

mm without a vertical aluminium rod support.
Cavity
• Each floor has two service doors to the cavity.

• Ventilators are installed at the corners of the cavity area.
• Their purpose is to move warm air through the corners.
• A set of solar blinds is installed in the cavity.
• The width of the cavity is 700 mm.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Itämerentori
Double-skin façade support structure: suspended
structure
Façade structure
• The inner envelope consists of light elements, which

rest on beams.
• The different parts of the outer envelope's frame were
delivered to the construction site separately.
• Elements were assembled from different kind of parts.
• Every second vertical space strip of the element,
included rods leaning on the outer walls.
• This structure could be mounted as one element.
• Every second horizontal structure was mounted from
separate parts.
• The whole outer envelope structure is supported from
cleats connected to the inner façade.

Envelop systems
• The frame of the double-skin façade is a suspended

structure. It consists of horizontal flat bars and diagonal
rods, which adjust the vertical position.
• The flat bars take compression and the diagonal rods

take tension.
• All connections are bolted (acid resistant steel)

connections and between each connection a washer is
placed.

Envelop systems
• The windows of the inner envelope are fixed.
• ventilation doors open to the intermediate space.
• The outer glazed skin consists of 6-8 mm toughened glass.
• The circular part of the building has laminated glass.
• The glass panes were Heat-Soak tested.
• The average size of one glass pane is 2692 x 855 mm
• The horizontal joints of the pane have weathering steel
glazing bars and the vertical joints are sealed with silicon
sealant.
Cavity
• The intermediate space has gravitational ventilation.
• Motorized solar shading blinds are placed outside the inner
envelope's windows.
• The cavity has no service platform. Maintenance within the
intermediate space is carried out with a gondola fixed onto
the girders of the roof.
• Outside maintenance is performed in a similar way.
Envelop systems
Examples:- Nokia Ruoholahti

structure
Façade structure
• The heat- insulating envelope is built of light steel-
coated mineral wool elements and fixed wooden
windows.
• The bolted façade sections can be easily detached and
recycled.
• The 32-m tall outer glass envelope is suspended from
galvanized cantilever girders on the roof with tension
rods.
• On the building floors, the outer glass wall is supported
onto the building frame with diagonal steel feet that can
be adjusted with rigging screws.
• The structure frame is made of hot galvanized pipe
profile. The number of metal components connected to
the external envelope has been minimised. The outside
glass skin is fixed to the frame with small steel pads.
Envelop systems
Examples:- Nokia Ruoholahti

Inner envelope: - double insulating glass
Outer envelope: - 6 mm thick, tempered glass with a silk

pattern, which was baked onto it with a ceramic paint in
connection with the annealing process.
• The glass cladding delimits a favourable microclimate
inside the building and helps to restrict the excessive
amount of solar heat and traffic noise.
Cavity
• The top of the intermediate space is provided with an
adjustable louvre, while the bottom is open.
• A gondola fixed onto the cantilever girders of the roof
provides access into the intermediate space for
maintenance purposes.
• There is no service platform in the cavity.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Nokia K2

structure
Façade structure
• The double façade frame is calculated for

windload, dead load and ice load on the roof
(200 kg).
• The frame of the doubleskin façade consists
of a horizontal and a diagonal rod to which a
mullion-transom system is connected.
• All the steel parts of the frame consist of
acid resistant steel.
• The steel frame of the double-skin façade is
connected with bolts to the inner envelope.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Nokia K2
Inner envelope:
-double insulating glass
Outer envelope:
• 900 x 1500 x 6 mm (HxWxT) tempered glass
Cavity
• Solar blinds are installed in the cavity.
• A maintenance rail exists only in the roof areas
were it is difficult to reach with a hoist.
• The cleaning within the intermediate space is
done from the service platform.
• A water post is installed in the cavity.
Envelop systems
Examples:- Iso Omena mall

• Iso Omena is a new mall in Matinkylä, Espoo.
• Two hypermarkets, over 100 other businesses,
restaurants, post office, liquor store Alko,
library, a chapel, a movie theater, a youth
center
• Façade structure
• Two of the façades include a double-skin
façade One of them is to damp the traffic noise
• The walls are supported vertically from top
with an I-beam,
• Every support is connected to the intermediate
floor and they go through the inner wall
elements.
• Every second horizontal steel bar is mounted
separately at the site.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Iso Omena mall

• The inner envelope's glass panes are float glass.
• The outer envelope has 8 mm thick tempered glass.
• The glass panes are 2600 mm wide and 2000 mm high.
• the vertical joints have 8 mm thick acid resistant glazing bars.
Cavity
• The cavity is not open at the top. The roof will have a felt
covering and a rain moulding
• where a drain for rainwater starts and goes to the HVAC-
room through the inner wall
• element. The cavity is closed at its sides. The bottom of the
cavity is closed with a
• laminated glass for sound insulation purposes. A gondola
fixed onto the girders of the
• roof enables inside maintenance. Outside maintenance is
done from a hydraulic hoist.
Envelop systems
Examples:- Kone Building

Double-skin façade support struc ture: frame structure,75
metres high office building
Façade structure
• The supporting structure of the double-skin façade forms a
frame system.
• The inner layer consists of one storey high units suspended
from the intermediate floors.
• The connection is as follows: each unit has a bracket
attached to it, this bracket is site welded between two
triangular plates, which are site welded to the core.
• The load bearing structure of the outer layer consists of two
storeys high and two glass panes wide elements, which are
connected with bolts to the flat bar. The frame is made of
hot galvanized steel. The outer glass has glazing bars in
the vertical joints and silicon joint sealant in the horizontal
joints.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Kone Building

Inner envelope: - insulating glass
Outer envelope: tempered clear glass panes with a silk

screen pattern.
• The outer surface has varying glasses depending on the
orientation. Beside the lift shaft there is a fire resistant
glass.
Cavity
• The cavity is open from the bottom and each floor has
vents, which can be opened.
• Inside maintenance is handled from the service platform in
the cavity, which is equipped with a security wire rope.
• A gondola fixed onto the girders of the roof enables outside
maintenance and cleaning.

Envelop systems
Examples:- Nokia Keilalahti

Frame
• The frame structure consists of continuous low-profile
prestressed concrete beams, prestressed slabs
mounted on beams and provided with a cast- in-situ
topping.
• Prefabricated slip-cast stairwells transmit the horizontal
loads to the pile foundations, which are partly precast
piles, and partly Franki piles.
Façade structure
• supported on the acid steel section framework. The
Double-skin façade support structure:
acid resistant steel sections are fixed to the concrete
frame structure
façade and suspended from roof shelters. General:
• A cleat is connected with bolts to the sandwich wall - location: Espoo, Keilalahti
element. To the cleat a rectangular hollow section - building completed 1997
(45x90x3.0) is welded. - office building
• The rectangular hollow section also supports the - 5 storeys
service platform. The cleat has slotted holes for - total area 40 000 m2
horizontal adjustment and the welded connection gives - volume 200 000 m3
further adjustment possibilities. - double-skin façade 8 600 m2
Envelop systems

• The materials used are acid resistant and some of the
ribbons are aluminium.
The outer envelope: (width 1350 mm and height 3600 mm)
- 6 mm tempered clear glass glass
The inner envelope:
- 2k6-12 selective glass, argon gas in between The outer
glass pane is placed between a flat bar and an acid resistant
tube. It is sealed with elastic butyl.
Cavity
• The steel section framework also supports the aluminum
service platforms in the cavity.
• The cleaning of the outer glasses is done from a hoist.
• Solar blinds are placed outside the inner envelope to
restrict the excessive amount of solar heat.
• At the upper end of the intermediate space motorized
louvers exist. In summertime they are mainly open to let
warm air go out and fresh air flow in at the bottom of the
cavity. In wintertime they are closed to form a heat-
insulating buffer.
Envelop systems

Double-skin façade
support structure: Large steel trusses support the
cantilever brackets,
storey- high cavity
 location: Helsinki, 2001, 5 office buildings, 7 storeys,
double-skin façade 12 000 m2.
. Frame
The frame of the building consists of concrete and steel
structures.
Façade structure
• This double-skin façade differs greatly from the previous
ones.
• The double skin façade is storey-high.
• The bearing structure of the inner envelope consists of
wall elements with perforated steel studs. A cleat (40 x
40 x 2 mm) is welded to a steel plate, welded to a steel
plate, which is connected to theinner wall element.
Envelop systems
Examples:-High Tech Center

• The length of the cleat is 119 mm and the material used is
stainless steel.
• The cleats exist at 600 mm intervals. They support the
aluminium profile, which supports the outer glass panes.
The inner envelope consists of two different kinds of windows.
The lower windows consist of:
 float glass 6 mm
 argon gas 18 mm
 clear selective float glass 6 mm
and the upper windows consist of:
 tenpered float glass 6 mm
 argon gas 18 mm and tubes monitoring light
 clear selective float glass 4 mm

Envelop systems
Examples:-High Tech Center
• The outer glass skin consists of 10 mm tempered glass.

• The horizontal joint has an aluminium glazing bar and the
vertical joints are left open with a 10 mm gap.
Cavity
• The cavity is only 342 mm deep and not accessible.
• The inner envelope's windows can be opened to perform
cleaning inside the cavity.
• Outside cleaning is performed from a hoist.

Envelop systems
Examples:-Sonera
structure
General:
- location: Helsinki
- building completed 2000, - office building, - 6 storeys
- total area 17 273 m2, - double-skin façade 1060 m2
Frame
• The frame system of the building is based on columns
concreted on site.
• The supporting levels, which consist of thin shell slabs
and a steel beam are used as a composite structure.
Façade structure
• The aluminium-framed external walls are suspended
from the edge beams of the roof level on the 5th floor.
• The sun absorbent glass panes on the external wall
structure as well as their stainless steel frame are
supported from the aluminium profiles on the wall.

Envelop systems
Examples:-Sonera
• The outer glass skin is supported against wind forces by
horizontal lattices mounted every half floor, connected to each
other vertically with round steel tension rods.
• The entire outer glass wall structure is suspended from the
glass roof trusses with tension rods, for which reason both the
structural system and the glazing were implemented from the
top down.
Inner envelope:
- green 6 mm glass (outer)
- argon gas 15 mm (middle)
- selective 4 mm Ekoplus- glass (inner)
Outer envelope:
- 4+4 mm laminated glass (in between 0,76 mm opal sheet)
elements
- Both of the glasses are tempered and Heat Soak tested. One
of the glasses is clear and the other one is grey with a silk
screen-printed pattern.
Cavity
The cavity formed is open at bottom and top.
Envelop systems
Examples:-Korona
Double-skin façade support structure: framework
General:
• location: Viikki
• building completed 6/1999
• information centre.
 a low cylinder in shape; surrounding blue,
plastered lightweight concrete block wall, which is
further, enclosed in a glass envelope mounted on
a steel frame.
 The glass wall that surrounds the information
centre has an eco-technical purpose.
 It functions as the building's overcoat, decreasing
the temperature loss in winter and the need for
cooling in summer.
 The space between the glass wall and the rough
wall behind it is partly used as a winter garden.
 Fresh air is taken from this space for the air
conditioning system, from different sectors during
different seasons.
Envelop systems
Examples:-Korona
Frame
• The frame of the building is cast in situ.
• The basement has supporting walls and the
inner part of the overground structures forms a
column-slab frame.
Façade structure
• The double-skin façade covers 3/4 of the
buildings outer shell.
• The structure consists of tube profiles, which
are connected by horizontal IPE-profiles to the
inner envelope's concrete and steel frame.
• The windows in the inner envelope have a
selective 2k insulating glass where the outer
glass is K Glass , and
• the inner glass is clear 4-6 mm laminated glass.
• The outer envelope consists of clear, 6 mm
thick float glass and partly also selective glass.
Envelop systems
Examples:-Korona
Cavity
• The cylindrical form of the building has an
energy saving effect; the area of the envelope is
small compared to the volume of the building.
Partly the cavity is about 2 metres wide and
partly more to form winter gardens.
• In winter fresh air is taken from the southern
side of the building and used in the HVAC-
system.
• In summer the fresh air is taken from the
northern side.
• The exhaust air is conducted to the cavity when
the cavity's enthalpy is smaller than the enthalpy
of outside air.
• Results have shown that up to 75% have been
saved in heat energy costs.
• Only the cleaning of the glass skins can be
difficult because no service platforms exist in
the 13 metres high cavity area.
Envelop systems
Examples:- JOT Automation Group

Double-skin façade support structure:
• suspended structure, point fixed (outer skin)
General:
- location: Oulunsalo
- building completed 2000
- office and production facility
- 4 storeys
- total area 13 898 m2
- gross floor area 13 195 m2
- volume 79 986 m3
- double-skin façade 1000 m2
Frame
• The office part of the building has a steel-concrete-
element frame.
• The primary trusses and their supporting columns
divide the space for different facilities.
• The three meters high primary trusses are situated
upon the roof, which minimizes the eated/cooled
volume of the building without reducing the free
height.
Envelop systems
Examples:- JOT Automation Group

Façade structure
On the southern and western side of the building Cavity
a double-skin façade is suspended from a steel • The cavity formed is one meter
truss to reduce traffic noise and solar radiation. deep and a service platform
Outer and inner glass skins exists for maintenance
Inner envelope: (triple) purposes.
- 6 mm antisun, green glass (outer)
- 4 mm clear glass (middle)
- 4 mm clear glass (inner)
• Outer envelope: (3600 mm high and 1500
mm wide) - 10 mm tempered, Heat Soak-
tested, green sun protective glass panes.
• The outer glass skin is point supported with
Structural S-Cross system.
• The joints are left open. Over 1/3 of the
surface of the outer glass panes are sand-
blasted to protect the working areas from
excessive solar radiation, but letting filtered
light into the rooms.
Envelop systems
Examples:-RWE Tower in Essen
• The cylindrical tower stands as an independent structure

within a heterogeneous block of developments.
• The concept of an energy-conscious tower design is
reflected in the form and construction of the building.
• Its circular plan ensures an ideal relationship between
volume and surface area.
• The cylindrical form also results in an optimization of wind
pressure, thermal losses, constructional resources and
daylight.
Frame
• The tower is totally reinforced concrete.
• The basic structure consists of two concentric circles of
vertical columns along with horizontal flat slabs at each
floor level.
• A pair of cores, the staircase on the periphery and the
firefighter elevator shafts withstands stresses.
• No boring piles were specially required since the building
was erected on a strong rock bed.
Envelop systems

Inner envelope: (heat- insulating glass)
 6 mm low iron float glass
 14 mm argon gas (middle)
 6 mm low iron float glass
Outer envelope: (1970 mm wide and 3461 mm high)
• extra clear 10 mm toughened glass
• The inner façade is a sash extending from floor to
ceiling, which can be opened by some 150 mm.
• achieves the natural ventilation.
• The outer glass skin is fixed with bolts at eight
points to the mullion.
• Such an outer façade continues without sash, to
the top.

Envelop systems

• Cavity
• The cavity is 500 mm deep. A set of louvre blinds is
installed in the cavity and can be remotely controlled.
• As users at will can open the inside windows, natural
ventilation is enabled.
• Every room has a buzzer fittet to provide a warning to
shut the windows when wind and rain are too strong.
• Energy consumption for air-conditioning in the RWE
• Tower is calculated at some half of that in conventional
German buildings with single skin façade and pair glass.
• The exterior surface of the outer façade is cleaned with a
gondola, which is supported by a long elastic boom on
the roof. As this boom rotates, the gondola moves
around the building.
• The interior may be cleaned using a special tool, which
opens fully the inner façade. At present cleaning takes
place four times yearly for the exterior and twice yearly
for the interior.
Envelop systems
Examples :- Dusseldorfer stadttor-German
Double-skin façade: storey-high cavity

• consists of two parallel office towers with 16 storeys,
connected by three continuous attic storeys.
• This arrangement gives rise to a 56 m high atrium in
the centre.
• The entire building is enclosed in a glass skin which
reduces wind pressure and traffic noise in the offices.
• The façade of the outer offices subjected to more
traffic noise is designed as a double-skin façade.
Façade structure and inner and outer glazing
• The interior façade consists of 1.5 x 2.85 metre
modules of laminated wood frame, glazed with low-e
coated insulating glass.
• The outer glazing consists of 1.49 x 2.85 (m)
toughened glass, either 12 or 15 mm thick.
• These sheets are fixed in a linear plane top and
bottom to the railings.
Envelop systems
Examples :- Dusseldorfer stadttor-German

Cavity
The walk- in cavity (1400 mm wide) has a safety railing.
• It is ve ntilated naturally via ventilation units fitted to the
front of the floor slabs.
• On the inside these units are fitted with mechanically
operating louvres, which regulate the airflow of air in
winter and summer.
• The units are designed at alternate bays as an outlet or
inlet unit to avoid shortcircuit flows between fresh air
and warmed air from floor to floor.
• When the air louvres are closed the entire construction
gives a U-value of 1.1 W/m2K.
• This double-skin construction enables natural
ventilation for 60% of the year.
• When outside temperatures are extreme, or under high
wind conditions, mechanical ventilation systems are
switched on.
• Chilled ceilings are used to take up cooling loads.
Envelop systems
Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf
Double-skin façade:
• storey-high double-skin façade

• Located at Stadtsparkasse, of
Düsseldorf
Façade structure
• The inner envelope has single
glazing and the outer envelope has
insulating glass.
• The idea of such a double-skin
façade is to bring in the used air to
the cavity and suck it out.

Envelop systems
West LB Elisabethstrasse
Double-skin façade: box

double-skin façade Düsseldorf
Double-skin façade:
• three different types of
double-skin façade
structure
• Located at the West LB
Elisabethstrasse in
Düsseldorf

Envelop systems
Type1: (upper floors)

• This is a box double-skin façade.
• The cavity is partitioned both horizontally
at each floor and vertically.
• Users can open the inner layer windows
and use natural window ventilation.
• Ventilation openings exist at each floor in
the cavity area (see figure 2).
• The width of the cavity is about 550 mm.

Envelop systems
Type 2: (upper floors)

• A small part of the left side of the building has
a double-skin façade which cavity is partitioned
both horizontally at each floor and vertically.
• However the bottom transversal joint of the
outer glass pane is left open forming a small
gap between the lower part of the glass pane
and the window board.
• Users can open the inner layer windows and
use natural ventilation.
• The width of the cavity is about 500 mm.

Envelop systems
Type 3: (first floor)

• The façade of the first floor has an
even simplier double-skin façade.
• An external glass pane is point fixed
from four corners some 300 mm
from the inner layer.
• All the joints are left open so that air
can enter the cavity from all four
sides.
• The idea of this double-skin façade
is to damp down the traffic noise.

Envelop systems
Façade structure
• Users can open the inner layer windows and use
natural window ventilation.
• Ventilation openings exist in the cavity (see figure 1).
The width of the cavity is about 260 mm.

Envelop systems
2.Precast concrete wall
• Precast wall are used for internal & external walls, lift shafts, central
cores etc.
• Precast wall system are mostly used in domestic construction, both for
individual housing & for apartments.
• The solution can be considered as the industrialized form of cast in-situ
walls or classical brick or block masonry walls.
• The precast walls can be load bearing or only partition walls.
• The surface of the elements is smooth on both sides & ready for painting
or wall papering.
• Precast walls offer the advantage of speed of construction, smooth
surface finishing, acoustic insulation & fire resistance.

BM & C IV
Envelop systems
examples

BM & C IV
Envelop systems
Precast Wall
Panels
BM & C IV
Envelop systems

BM & C IV
Envelop systems
Erecting a factory finished

wall

BM & C IV
Envelop systems
Close-up view of a wall

BM & C IV
Envelop systems
Thank you


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Envelop systems

Chair of Building Construction

Main Resource Material

Chair of Building Construction

The facade is the wall of a building

Facades can be either load bearing or non

Non load bearing facades

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Four basic types of insulation used in metal

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

Chair of Building Construction

highly glazed building facades=Iconic element

• There is growing interest in highly glazed building facades, driven

Chair of Building Construction

• 1960’s to the 1990’s innovation in glazing made heat absorbing glass,

• associated set of aesthetic features.

• More sophisticated design approaches and technologies have emerged

Chair of Building Construction

• Taken to its ultimate development, an interactive façade should respond

• It should exploit available natural energies for lighting, heating and

• should be able to provide large energy savings compared to conventional

Chair of Building Construction

• The interactive façade will have to include systems

• A static all-glass envelope will not be able to give

• The conclusion is that we need an intelligently

• current philosophy is to design the envelope with responsive, interactive

• often called “intelligent envelopes”

• These envelope systems should react sensibly to the changes in the

Chair of Building Construction

3. better utilization of energy flows is associated with daylighting and

Chair of Building Construction

• traditional role of the envelope as a filter is being replaced or

Chair of Building Construction

• the cavity is also integrated in a natural ventilation scheme, which may

• Double facades may also enable window opening in high-rise buildings

Double-skin façades – cont.

• double-skin façades have become very popular in townscapes

Chair of Building Construction

Double-skin façades – cont.

• A double-skin façade is essentially a pair of

• The glass skins may stretch over an entire

• The main layer of glass, usually insulating,

• The layers make the air space between them

Chair of Building Construction

Advantages of Double-skin façades

• The cavity is connected with the outside air so

• In winter the cavity forms a thermal buffer

• Two-layer façades improve sound insulation

Chair of Building Construction

Advantages of Double-skin façades

• Sheltered from wind, rain and snow, these shading

• When solar radiation is high, the façade cavity has to be

• The air change between the environment and the cavity is

Advantages of Double-skin façades

• Active systems are very complicated and therefore