Façades once were static divisions between the outside (where aspects such as temperature, light, sun, noise and moisture come in) and the inside (rooms where the user expects a climate that suits their activities). However, innovations have made façades into ever smarter interfaces. Think of deep sun protection , that stops the hot summer sun and welcomes the pleasant wintry sun, or systems to automatically open and close windows. At this time it is already possible to integrate technical installations, for instance heating, ventilation or cooing, into the façade. .

 

In 2020 all new buildings in the Netherlands have to be virtually energy-neutral and in 2050 all existing buildings have to be completely energy-neutral. In practice, this more or less means that project developers have to meet those requirements even now. It would be even better if new buildings were to produce energy, as their users will increasingly demand that a building contributes in a positive manner to its environment. Our engineers know how they can increase the sustainability of a building using innovative façade structures. This is also important in order to be eligible for certification, with the BREEAM or LEED label for instance

 

Quite some office premises are standing empty at this time. They are technically dated or they lack the look that people are looking for. A large group of office premises, all twenty to thirty years old, are threatened with a similar fate. Our façade revitalisation concept can make these buildings once again appealing and profitable. Most of the time such buildings can remain in use during revitalisation, as we fit our prefab façade structures to ceilings, floors and walls and only minimum work is required on the inside. The renovation of a façade is also an ideal moment to add all kinds of modern technical functions to the façade. Think of climate control, fire protection, energy generation, sun protection or regulation of how the light enters the room.