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How rainscreen cladding improves energy efficiency and sustainability

Munich, 06.12.2024 – Modern prefabricated facades offer significant sustainability potential. They not only contribute to energy efficiency, but also improve the environmental balance of the building and the well-being of its users. Only a few construction companies offer comprehensive solutions from a single source as a full-service provider, ranging from planning, foundations and structural engineering to technical building equipment and the facade. PORR is one of these providers, combining expertise and customised solutions under one roof.

Project Qubes, Munich – unitised façade  

 

© PORR

Modern curtain walls stand for energy efficiency and conservation of resources. They are designed to optimise the thermal envelope of a building. The use of highly insulating materials and innovative technologies minimises heat loss in winter, reduces heat stress in summer and generates heat gains in the transitional seasons. This leads to a significant reduction in energy consumption for heating and cooling.

Environmentally friendly materials and construction methods

The increasing use of sustainable materials, such as recycled aluminium and glass, helps to reduce the ecological footprint. In addition, modular construction methods enable flexible adaptation, short runtimes, adherence to schedules, as well as cost and quality optimisation.

Recyclable and reusable through urban mining

If buildings have to be demolished at the end of their life cycle, a lot of construction waste is generated. This waste contains valuable secondary raw materials. If these are carefully separated and recycled, they can be used to create materials for future construction projects in line with the circular economy. Proven approaches and technologies are available for recycling curtain walls in order to return the metals and glass used in them to the material cycle.

Improvement of the indoor climate and user satisfaction

By integrating natural ventilation systems and daylight redirection, modern curtain walls significantly improve the indoor climate. This leads to an increase in well-being, healthy living and the productivity of building users.

Case study: Qubes Campus in Munich

An outstanding example of the application of modern facing facades is the ‘Qubes – Technology Campus’ project in Munich. The campus consists of five interconnected office buildings and houses the entire IT department and telecommunications services of the city of Munich. PORR realised the project as general contractor with the support of PORR's subsidiary company Alu-Sommer, which specialises in the planning, production and assembly of building envelopes. The campus meets future-oriented sustainability guidelines and was prepared for certification according to LEED Gold and DGNB Gold standards.

‘The approximately 12,000 m2 of rear-ventilated unitised façade for the Qubes project in Munich is characterised by generous glass surfaces that enable a vibrant and open design. Alu-Sommer constructed a combination of unitised façades, stick system façades and aluminium sheet metal façades for this. This combination not only ensures an attractive appearance, but also excellent energy efficiency and sustainability,’ says Hans Tritremmel, Managing Director of Alu-Sommer GmbH, highlighting the special features of the façade.

Modern facing façades offer a wide range of sustainability options. They contribute to energy efficiency, the conservation of resources and an improved indoor climate, and can significantly reduce the ecological footprint through the use of innovative technologies and materials. They also have a positive influence on ESG criteria (environmental, social and governance) and offer investors attractive opportunities to achieve their sustainability goals. The Qubes project in Munich is an impressive example of how this potential can be realised in practice.

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