Ventilated glass facades, functionality, advantages and application

Ventilated glass facades offer functionality, advantages and application systems that make them absolutely efficient from a green point of view also in the field of construction and domestic consumption.

The presence of a ventilated gap distinguishes ventilated facades from common ones and offers the possibility of improving the thermal performance of the building and its overall energy efficiency.

In fact, the facade is the physical place where a building relates to the outside, exchanging heat, air and light. Even on glass buildings, this combination is favored by the installation of ventilated facades capable of protecting the structure, promoting thermal and acoustic insulation and allowing for energy savings.

Below we will tell you about their features, the many advantages they offer and the various systems and fields of application.

Functionality and technology

Functionality and technology of glass ventilated facades are essential qualities.

A glass ventilated facade looks like a common facade, but its substantial difference lies in the cladding sheets mounted on a substructure anchored to the perimeter wall of the building.

Between the masonry and the glass cladding there is a layer of thermal insulation and a ventilation channel, while the external windows constitute a sort of “coat” capable of promoting significant energy savings.

Simplifying, this is the structure of the ventilated facades:

• thermal insulation;
• internal structure in aluminum;
• ventilated facade panels.

In our case, the external panels are made of glass, perfect for contemporary facades, ideal for shopping malls, modern buildings, sports buildings.

Ventilated glass facades base their technology on the movement of air that is generated inside the gap: a natural convective motion produced by the temperature difference between inside and outside.

An impeccable functionality, which leads to optimal temperatures without energy expenditure.

In summer, the air in the gap heats up thanks to solar radiation, rises upwards due to the stack effect, leaving the temperature in the air chamber cool. During the winter months the gap mitigates the penetration of cold, also reducing the problems related to condensation and humidity.

The technology of ventilated facades has very ancient origins, dating back to the Roman era. In modern times it has spread widely in Northern Europe, with the aim of preventing the penetration of cold. More recently, their functionality has also become popular in Italy, revealing significant economic and environmental benefits.

Advantages

To make you better understand why ventilated facades are today an optimal solution especially in glass buildings, we want to show you their advantages:

• energy saving;
• insulation;
• soundproofing;
• healthiness of the environments;
• technical durability;
• simplicity of maintenance;
• architectural value of the facade.

Thanks to the movement of air inside the gap and to the insulating material which eliminates thermal bridges, a considerable improvement in the energy performance of the building is achieved and an obvious economic saving.

Clearly the result is excellent thermal insulation, which precisely allows to limit the use of cooling and heating systems.

Among the living comfort factors we must also consider sound insulation. Thanks to the air chamber, the sounds coming from the outside are muffled, creating a condition of well-being inside.

The double skin on the façade favors the elimination of condensation and humidity, making indoor environments healthier and reducing the risk of respiratory problems and allergies in those who live there.

The advantages of ventilated facades undoubtedly also include considerable technical durability: avoiding the action of atmospheric agents on the external masonry and direct solar radiation, they preserve the facade from damage due to the action of time.

In addition to these numerous advantages, we find an undoubted durability due to the possibility of carrying out the maintenance of the facade panels in a simple way. In fact, they can be easily inspected.

Last but not least is the architectural value added to the glass ventilated facades: structural lightness and functionality create a modern combination, without limiting the creativity of architects.

Basically, we can confidently state that ventilated facades made of glass or other material represent a great help in terms of health, hygiene and environmental protection.

Application in the construction system

As we have seen, the application of the ventilated facade in the construction system of a building involves a significant improvement in terms of durability, living well-being, energy saving and also from an aesthetic point of view.

Their application is increasingly widespread in projects of great resonance created by internationally renowned architects. The ventilated glass facades are a coveted solution for the lightness that distinguishes them and for the ease of installation that allows you to cover large surfaces without too much difficulty and without limiting the designer’s creativity.

Since their maintenance is also quite simple, they are very reliable and guarantee a long-lasting investment. Therefore they are suitable both for the construction of new structures and for the restoration of old buildings. It is sufficient to make this improvement to the construction system to increase the energy efficiency of old buildings.

They are increasingly common in commercial buildings, in modern buildings located in futuristic-looking neighborhoods, or in the tertiary sector, such as hotels, museums, industrial or sports complexes, stations, airports and hospitals.

They exhibit their aesthetics especially in buildings with large surfaces in which we want to break down the concept of visual barrier between the inside and the outside, while ensuring living comfort and energy saving. They are even iconic on skyscrapers, true mirrors of the city skies.

Their application in the construction system is possible thanks to the combination of thermal material (insulating and water-repellent) laid on the masonry, the aluminum substructure fixed to the building by brackets and the modular external cladding, laid with open joints.

The cladding panels are modular, but appear as a continuous layer, which can be moved by the architect’s design inspiration or make the building appear like a splendid glass box. Its fragility is disproved by the constructive resistance and weather-proofness of its coating.

Therefore, the ventilated system applied to glass facades is the ideal solution to create residential or public contexts perfectly aligned with the modern needs of structural minimalism and efficiency, aiming not only at individual savings but also at the environmental well-being.