Activated Façade Design Studio

by Jennifer Riehl, Portland Energy Analyst

The building sector of our economy accounts for approximately 40% of the overall energy consumption in the United  States. Approximately half of the existing buildings in the U.S. will need to be renovated within the next 30 years; thus improving existing buildings is essential to reducing energy demand from the building sector.

One means to achieve energy use reduction would be to design and implement retrofitted activated façades to reduce energy consumption while also encouraging daylighting, natural ventilation, and improved indoor air quality. Incorporating these principles into existing building façades assures far more impact than most anything that can be done to newly constructed buildings.  No matter how much the mechanical system is improved in a building, an efficient façade is needed to increase the energy efficiency of the building. Especially in light of the current economic situation, as new construction slows down and renovations of historic spaces continues to increase, it is imperative to consider how we can improve existing buildings.

To reach energy goals, something must be done to ensure that these renovations produce energy efficient buildings and it starts with the future generations of architects and engineers. Therefore, Glumac has partnered with the University of Oregon's School of Architecture & Allied Arts to develop a firm-taught studio (with a competition element), a research/prototyping phase (based on the winning designs from that studio), and then an implementation phase. This research program will focus on designing and prototyping a model for new activated façade systems that could be retrofitted to existing, historic buildings that will qualify them as energy efficient, healthy and sustainable.

To read more about Glumac's involvement with activated façades, go to "The Future is Triple Green"