What will the green building skin look like in the future?

Mondo Technology Updated on 2024-01-30

The building skin, also known as the business card of the building, is simply "the appearance of the building that people see", and it also shapes the architectural myths in everyone's hearts.

The building skin is often the first impression of the building on Unsplash

Under the wave of ESG, energy conservation and carbon reduction in the construction industry have become the focus of the entire industry. Architectural design is also greening at the source in more innovative ways – the building skin, which adds another layer of functionality – through the practice of green initiatives to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, improve the indoor environment, reduce the heat island effect, etc.

When you think of a building skin with "green" attributes, you may think of a building façade with a lot of greenery, or a combination of thick insulated walls and small windows in cold regions – these "stereotypes" of green building skins are being subverted thanks to technological developments. In this article, we have the opportunity to talk about the cutting-edge green building skin through the lens of an architect who is also a LEED AP, and get a glimpse of what these innovative technologies have in common with LEED.

The author of this article is Wang Yikai.

LEED AP, National Class 1 Registered Architect.

The general trend of green buildings

01. Material innovation

Smart Materials

Smart materials are currently at the forefront of the development direction in the field of materials science. In general, the smart materials envisioned by humans generally have three basic functions: sensing, actuating, and controlling. In building skins, the use of smart materials that automatically adjust their properties to environmental conditions is a way forward that can kill multiple birds with one stone.

Take smart glass, for example: smart glass automatically adjusts light transmission to maximize natural light and regulate indoor temperatures, and can also help improve the comfort and well-being of people in buildings. Smart glass is designed to respond to changes in the environment, regulate the heat entering the space, and significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings by reducing the load on HVAC systemsIn addition, some smart glass can also adjust the indoor illumination, which has a direct impact on people's health experience.

For example, a color-changing glass developed by a smart glass manufacturer can respond to changes in the environment, adjust the amount of heat entering the space, balance the amount of daylight in the room, the illuminance and visible light transmittance (VLT) of the glass can be adjusted, and the curtain wall Sageglass can also be controlled through the app

According to a study of hospital employees published in the International Journal of Energy Engineering [1], 92% of respondents said patients prefer to stay in a room with sunlight. Another study, published in Environmental Health Insights, showed that patients near the window had shorter hospital stays than those near the door. This vividly reflects the positive effect of daylight on human health, and the dynamic lighting of smart glass can optimize the daylighting of buildings while ensuring thermal comfort.

Nanomaterials

The application of nanomaterials in building infrastructure is becoming a hot trend, where nanocoatings can be used on building facades, roofs, and glass surfaces [2]. In addition to increasing the weatherability, UV and pollution resistance of buildings, and extending the life of buildings, nano-coatings can also provide thermal insulation and thermal insulation effects, improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

New insulation

The often mentioned building insulation generally refers to the insulation material that appears in the building shell, most of the time, the insulation material is used for thermal insulation, but it is also suitable for sound insulation, fire protection, earthquake prevention and other functions.

We usually measure the thermal conductivity of an insulating material in terms of the r-value, and the higher the r-value, the more effective the insulation. The materials industry has been and is constantly working to improve the performance of building skins by increasing the R-value, developing new materials that reduce heat conduction and energy loss in building skins. However, as the impact of materials on the health of building envelopes, the environment, installers and building occupants increases, the R-value is no longer the only measure of the sustainability performance of an insulated material, and more attention is paid to things such as global warming potential (GWP) and the health properties of the material.

Notable new insulation materials include bio-based barriers, which are made from renewable materials such as plant fibers and mushroom mycelium, which can help the construction industry move towards a circular economy at the source. Ecovative[3], a company that uses mushroom mycelium to make sustainable materials, is a pioneer in this field, and they have developed a new way to produce 100% bio-based materials that can replace various petroleum-based foams, with higher heat resistance and better insulation properties than plastics. Now, they've also invented a bio-based material called "ecocradle" (ecocradle), which is used to make insulation and other building materials.

Mushroom mycelium bio-based insulating ecovative design

Biomaterials

In addition to the introduction of bio-based materials into the insulation materials, the use of biodegradable and renewable materials to directly construct the building skin can also reduce the dependence on finite resources and reduce the environmental impact. This category of biomaterials includes bamboo, fungal materials, algae walls, etc.

In Germany, Arup, SSC (Strategic Science Consultants) and Splitterwerk Architects designed the world's first algae-powered building [4], using insulating glass panels containing microalgae on the façade of the building. Algae photosynthesize in the presence of sunlight and can produce renewable energy for use in buildings;In addition, algae can also provide shelter for buildings according to the changes of the seasons, further reducing the need for air conditioning.

Material innovation in the building skin

How to contribute to your LEED score

Here are a few of the material innovations that can be applied to multiple LEED scoring blocks.

In the "Energy & Atmosphere" section, the heat absorption and energy consumption of buildings can be reduced through the use of measures such as efficient insulation, highly reflective surfaces, and shading devices, thus meeting the requirements of the "Minimum Energy Performance" prerequisite and the "Optimized Energy Performance" score. In the Materials & Resources section, LEED encourages buildings to move forward by choosing energy-efficient materials related to skin design, such as renewable materials, low-carbon materials, and certified wood. In addition, in the "Indoor Environmental Quality" section, the superior performance of smart materials in regulating daylight can also help to obtain "natural lighting" scores, and some material innovations can also enhance sound insulation and help buildings improve "acoustic performance".

Enabling the sustainable performance of building skins

02. Cross-domain technology

Transparent solar technology.

The energy transition is seen as an important way for buildings to move towards net zero, and the use of solar energy is becoming more and more readily available. Building Integrated Solar Photovoltaic (BIPV) is emerging as a solution. Increasingly, transparent solar materials are being integrated into building skins, making entire facades or windows a component of energy generation, while maintaining transparency and aesthetics.

Apple Park[5], Apple's headquarters, which opened in 2017, uses transparent solar technology. Apple Park is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy thanks to solar glazing that harnesses sunlight and converts solar energy into electricity to power the building's interior.

Apple Park was awarded LEED BD+C: New Construction Platinum certified Foster+Partner in 2019

Adaptive building skin

The adaptation of the building skin refers to the fact that the building skin adapts to the changes in season, weather and indoor needs by adjusting its own characteristics. Compared to the traditional building skin, the adaptive building skin transforms the building from "frozen art" to "dynamic art". Due to its dynamic response to changes in the outdoor environment, adaptive building skin can effectively reduce building energy consumption and improve indoor environmental comfort, which is also one of the research hotspots in the field of architecture in recent years.

In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, The edge[6], a smart office building known for its high intelligence and zero net energy consumption, uses cutting-edge green technology for adaptive building skins. The façade of The Edge is covered with thousands of solar panels. These panels not only collect solar energy, but also control the entry of sunlight by rotating it. The panel features a rotatable mechanism that automatically adjusts the angle according to the position of the sun and lighting conditions. This means that solar panels can be directed towards the sun to capture maximum solar energy when needed, and when not needed, they can be adjusted to be vertical or off, reducing the ingress of the sun's rays. Through adaptive skin technology, The Edge ensures that the interior of the building is kept in the right amount of light and temperature, while maximizing the use of natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting and reducing energy consumption.

The Edge Office Building LPL Architecture

Self-maintenance epidermis

Self-maintenance can be broken down into concepts such as self-repair: the epidermis itself is able to quickly repair small damage or cracks, extending material life and reducing maintenance costsAnother example is self-cleaning, which can reduce a lot of energy, manpower and financial costs.

At present, the more mature self-maintenance skin technology is self-cleaning glass [7], which uses ultraviolet rays in solar energy to activate the catalyst on the surface of the glass, promote chemical reactions, decompose pollutants into smaller molecules, and achieve a clean effect with the washing of rainwater. At St Pancras International Railway Station in the United Kingdom, the platform glass dome was remodeled with photocatalyst self-cleaning glass, which contains titanium dioxide, which promotes the oxidation of organic molecules in sunlight, and the organic deposits on the window surface turn into carbon dioxide and water in the process.

More directions ......

Now that advances in materials science, electronics, and smart AI are in full swing, we believe they will also bring greater opportunities and possibilities for innovation in green building skin technologies, such as better quantifying and improving indoor environmental quality, more flexible and intelligent adjustments, and sustainable maintenance throughout the life cycle of buildings.

Cross-disciplinary technology in the building skin

How to contribute to your LEED score

Transparent solar technology is tied to the LEED Energy & Atmosphere strategy for renewable energy adoption and can also help buildings move towards net-zero carbon emissions and net-zero energy consumptionIn the LEED "Materials & Resources" section, a score for "Reducing the Lifecycle Impact of Buildings" requires the project team to conduct a lifecycle analysis to assess and reduce the environmental impact of building materials. At the same time, adaptive building skins can also help projects perform better in the "Natural Light" score in the "Indoor Environmental Quality" section.

Make the building skin part of the ecosystem

03. Ecological technology

Ecosystem integration (the integration of plants, algae and microorganisms in the building skin) is a direction for the green development of the building skin.

Search for green building in search engines and you'll often see a classic "ecosystem integration" * This is the Bosco Verticale[8] vertical forest project in Milan, Italy, where architect Stefano Boeri integrated a high-rise building with plants, building two towers covered with trees and vegetation. The green ecology of the tower is well integrated into the ecosystem and natural environment of the precinct, and the plants on the balconies provide air purification, thermal insulation and aesthetic value, making the building more energy efficient.

A prime example of ecosystem integration technology at the Bosco Vertical Boeri Studio

Ecosystem integration in the building skin

How to contribute to your LEED score

Ecosystem integration can reduce the heat island effect of buildings, which can go a long way toward the "Reducing Heat Island Effect" score in the LEED "Sustainable Sites" section. In addition, the ecological integrated system can also effectively reduce the heat load of the building, reduce the energy consumption during operation, and meet the score requirements of the "Energy and Atmosphere" section.

It is worth looking forward to the green building skin design

04. Imagine more

The consensus on climate change has become stronger and stronger in all walks of life, and the development of more cutting-edge fields has also provided infinite possibilities for green building skin design, such as building skin interactivity, 3D printing technology, blockchain technology, etc.

The interactivity of a building's skin can be understood as the interaction between a building's exterior surfaces and its surroundings, people, or other factors, for example, an interactive façade design that allows users to adjust windows, sunshades, or other elements to meet their needs, changing light, privacy, or spatial ambience3D printing technology can improve construction efficiency, save materials, and reduce the carbon footprint of the production processBlockchain technology can be used to track and verify building materials to ensure the ...... of building skin materials and environmental friendlinessThe integration of these hot technologies with construction technologies is also very exciting.

Energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, sustainable sites and integrated, innovative design are all key focuses at LEED, and we are constantly imagining what the future of green buildings will look like, and the innovation and evolution of building skins will increasingly adapt to environmental challenges. I look forward to being able to throw bricks and lead the way to explore the development direction of green buildings with you.

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