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Facade engineering and evolution towards advanced building 

envelopesSkopje, 17th of October 2019

Ir. Philip Willems

Topics :

‐ 25 years of evolution in facade design and engineering

‐ Current projects

‐ BIM approach during a building project

‐ Different knowledge areas needed within facade engineering

‐ Future evolutions

‐ Advanced building skins

‐ Facade engineering in Macedonia

Facade engineering and evolution towards advanced building envelopes

‐ University of Brussels : architect or engineer ?

‐ Tractebel Energy Engineering + Permasteel ISA

‐ Hydro Building Systems / Wicona / SAPA

‐ Reynaers Aluminium

‐ Belgian Federation of Aluminium Fabricators

‐ Independent consultancy

25 years of evolution in facade design andengineering

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1994 ‐ 1996

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1998

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Energy performance of buildings ‐ 2006

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Race for insulation technology 2007  2009

Construction Product Directive (CPD) ‐ 2011 Initial type testing facade elements

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2007 ‐ 2010

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More glass , no aluminium !  Hi‐Finity sliding doors

Current projects

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Skytower One Oostende

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‐ Virtual Construction Modeling

‐ Virtual reality

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Building Information Modelling (BIM)

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Building skin

ArchitecturalDesign

Energy Performance

OccupantsComfort

Safety

Sustainability

StructuralEngineering

‐ Wind Standards

‐ CFD calculations ( 2D / 3D )

‐ Wind Tunnel Testing

Wind Engineering

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Location

Terrainroughness

Orographyof theterrain

Dimensionsof thebuilding

Positionwithin thefacade

High buildings 

in neighbour

hood

Density of buildings 

andprotection

Wind direction

Standards

• Windpressures for standard situations• 0 k€

CFD 2D/3D

• Windflow computer simulations for complex shapes

• +/‐ 10 k€

Wind‐tunnel

• Windtunnel testing including environment• +/‐ 40 k€

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Wind Tunnel TestingCollaboration Wacker Wind Engineering

• Method of wind tunnel testing‐ Test facilities boundary layer Wind tunnel‐ Principles of wind flow creation taking into account

‐ Terrain category II‐ Mean horizontal wind velocity‐ Turbulence intensity‐ Spectral density (distribution of gust energy)‐ Integral length scale

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Wind Tunnel TestingCollaboratio Wacker Wind Engineering

• Scale model and similarity laws‐ Translation of 1:350 scale model to full‐scale

‐ Rigid model‐ Similarity laws

‐ Geometrical similarity‐ Similarity of approach flow‐ Similarity of flow around bodies‐ Similarity of dynamic response of 

structures to wind‐ Similarity of buoyancy flows

Wind Tunnel TestingCollaboration Wacker Wind Engineering

• Measuring points on scale model (roof and facades)

Wind Tunnel TestingMeeting Wacker Wind Engineering

• Translation of measured statical wind loads on rigid modelling dynamic properties of the steel roof structure 

Input Tractebel = structural parameters of steel roof

‐ Natural frequencies‐ Vibration modes‐ Equivalent masses‐ Logarithmic decrement of damping

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‐ Curtain walls‐ Sliding elements‐ Windows & doors‐ Sunshading devices

Aluminium Building Systems

Curtain wall systems

Stick built curtain wall Unitized curtain wall

Aluminium as a construction material  Eurocode 9 Aluminium alloys and tempering

AlMgSi0,5

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Thermal break systems

The properties of the insulated profile are determinedby the two metals parts and by the characteristics of the insulator.Generally, only a few types of insulators are used bythe manufacturers, mostly made of glass fiber‐reinforced polyamide.

‐ Glass as a structural element

‐ Impact behaviour

Glass Engineering

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‐ Building systems

‐ Anchorage systems

‐ Concrete behaviour

Achorages to concrete

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‐ Parametric modeling

‐ Virtual reality

‐ 3D printing

‐ BIM and facility management

‐ Adaptive facade

Future evolutions

Parametric design

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Virtual reality

Adapative facadesThe façade is no longer seen as just a static barrier that separates the interior building environment from the external one. In contrast, the façade becomes a dynamic playground to optimise between energy objectives and occupants’ wishes

Facade engineering in Macedonia

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Facade engineering in Macedonia

• Creation of company in Macedonia : WB&E Facade Engineering• Local business partner and contact person : Jovica Simovski• Full support : Prof. D‐r. Kokalanov• Collaboration with University of Skopje for master thesis students• Training for specialised engineering (aluminium building systems, glass, steel, wind, concrete anchorages, wall cladding systems, …)

• Multidisciplinar team in Macedonia working on international projects• International website including Macedonian language planned Q4/2019

Kraaikant 63, 3221 Nieuwrode, Belgium

T + 32 (0)16 56 49 76info@willems‐engineering.bewww.willems‐engineering.be

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