Overview

In the Technological Solutions and Design Process sections of this report, we described high-performance commercial building façade solutions and the methods used to design such solutions. In reality, how have such buildings performed in the real world? What are the actual real-world energy savings that are being realized in these buildings? Are there side effects that cause the solution to be unacceptable to the occupant or are burdensome to the facility manager?

Design tools for daylighting, solar control, and ventilation within the context of advanced façade systems are discussed. We explain the basic use of some currently-available design simulation tools and the limitations of these tools to predict the performance of most of the technological solutions described in this document. References and weblinks to design tools are given, if available. We also list current international research activities underway to solve some of the fundamental tools issues that are encountered when designing these façade systems.

It has been extremely difficult to find any objective data on the performance of actual buildings implementing some of these solutions, particularly double-skin façades and adaptive façades. Subjective claims abound in the architectural literature. For some solutions, simulations can give a fairly good estimate of performance savings that can be achieved with solar shading strategies or daylighting. For other solutions, only measured data will suffice due to the complexity of interactions within the building. We reviewed a well-cited German article on double-skin façades that illustrated the controversy that is now on-going concerning double-skin façade systems. We also provide references to more detailed information.