Project Description: 21-storey high-rise office tower with a double-skin façade. 

This double-skin façade is divided into storey-high cavities. The exterior skin consists of automated, pivoting, 12-mm thick laminated glass louvers. Minimal air exchange occurs through these louvers when closed. The interior skin consists of two double-pane, bottom-hung, operable windows. The upper window is electrically operated. On the interior of the internal windows are Venetian blinds. Walkway grills occur at every floor within the 70-cm wide interstitial space and are covered with glass to prevent vertical smoke spread between floors. During the summer, the exterior glass louvers are tilted to allow for outside air exchange. The users can open the interior windows for natural ventilation. Night-time cooling of the building's thermal mass is automated. During the winter, the exterior louvers are closed. The user can open the internal windows to admit to the warm air on sufficiently sunny days. The building is mechanically ventilated during peak winter and summer periods (To<-5°C, To>20°C).

Reference 

Compagno, A. 1999. Intelligent glass façades: Material, practice, and design. Basel, Switzerland: Birkhauser.

Question/Information: eslee@lbl.gov