Introduction to building fa ades as revised edition
Fa ades determine the appearance of a building. Hence, they constitute a major element in architecture. At the same time, the building's envelope has important functions to fulfil, such as lighting, weatherproofing, thermal insulation, load transfer and sound insulation. Over the past 15 years, fa ades have become increasingly complex - 'intelligent' facades, for instance, adapt to changing climate and lighting conditions. Newly developed materials and technologies have broadened the scope of fa ade functions.