BES | Facade Engineers | Building Envelopes | Building Specialists

Distortions or visually disruptive building facades continue to be most challenging issues, although the glazing technologies and processing techniques are improving it is quite often designers and architects face the challenges of achieving flawless looking building glazing.

Visual distortions perceived as a defective or low quality facades as seen from the layman point of view, although this has no major direct relation with design flaws. Hence from the building owner perspective, greater awareness is becoming evident to address this issue.

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Research on Glass distortions

BES wish to study the impact of thermal flow of facade systems with comparisons of different environmental conditions.

Laminated glass edges are sensitive at the edges with the exposure and joint / sealing materials in contact. It is common that irrespective of quality materials and right applications, significant risks associated with long term performances, degrading or defects cropping out during the services.

BES team has recently investigated similar defects on an existing glazing, pictures above clearly shows the incompatibility of sealant with PVB material results white dots due to sealant migrating and incompatible.

Material selection or use of right materials for building envelopes often complex but yet a key decision

There are several materials available are either in appropriate or having poor performances on several key safety factors. Often Its been used without reviewing in details or advertently to cut cost and other reasons. However designers holds key responsibility in enforcing good design practice and safe design approach in educating the users /owners.

We talk about cladding materials; often we could see several regions use highy flammable and dangerous materials. In these cases the building envelpe suppose to provide long lasting maintenance free facades, becomes risks to occupants.

There are several regions do not have adequate local regulations to control inappropriate materials. Hence local regulations alone can’t be relied upon for safe designs. The failures in checking and enforcing right materials, lead to severe consequences to precious lives and properties.

Image : Cladding Fire, Image source : Gulf News

We bring the recent instance, Tall Residential Building at UAE,  showing video shocking evidences of how quickly fire and smoke propagating on the ACP (Alum composite Cladding) that uses Non Fire Resistant cladding panels.