Facade Engineering

Facade Engineering



    
The building envelope is a critical area of a building’s design, with the facade engineer playing a vital role in bringing the architect’s vision to life. New cladding materials and processing techniques are continually being developed in the search for better façade performance, making the design and procurement of the building envelope a highly technical and complex process – yet one that is still immensely creative.

DKE advises clients on the best way to develop design and procure the building envelope, using our knowledge and experience of the design integration chain to provide high level technical advice across the whole design process, including the choice of materials and systems. Our aim is to achieve a cost-effective, viable design solution that provides top performance at the lowest possible risk. With sustainability now a key regulatory requirement, we carefully analyze the environmental ‘behavior’ of different façade designs using advanced techniques such as thermal modeling, wind analysis, acoustic design, solar and glare studies. This rigorous assessment enables us to design a facade that is appropriate for both the building and the locale. Combining our practical knowledge of natural ventilation, shading and day lighting systems with environmental factors such as solar gain, wind flow and weather proofing we are able to deliver well built, high performance facades that provide superb occupant comfort with much reduced energy and running costs.