The course is made for architects, designers, engineers, and students interested in learning the latest sustainable architectural practices.
Circularity Principles in Façade Engineering
In this course you will explore circularity principles in the context of façade design, with a focus on the innovative use of materials to make façades more sustainable and more easily recyclable.
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What you will learn
Course topics
Teachers
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Promoting circularity in façade design means using materials again, making less waste, and creating building envelopes that adapt to different buildings and needs.
In the course, you will:
- Understand the principles of circularity and how they can be implemented in façade design;
- Recognize the technical, logistical, financial and legal challenges in designing circular façades;
- Explore design strategies for circular constructions such as modular design, material reuse and life cycle thinking;
- Discover how circular design strategies have been implemented in real life projects;
- Learn how to assess the circularity of façade designs;
Comprehend how to incorporate circular design strategies into individual designs.
The course covers the basics of circularity and offers practical strategies, and ways to assess circular façade designs, and looks at what the future might hold in sustainable façade design.
- The linear process vs the circular process in façade design and engineering;
- The stakeholders in circular façade design;
- The challenges of “closing the loop”: technical, legal, supply chain/logistics, financial aspects and the knowledge gap;
- Strategies for circular design: R strategy, digitalisation, design for disassembly, adaptability, resource efficiency, business models;
- Circularity assessment methods such as lifecycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA);
- Case studies of successful circular façade design and engineering projects with insights from the industry.
The course is led by experts from TU Delft, TU Darmstadt and Eurac Research. In addition to virtual visits, the course offers a peek behind-the-scenes at how circular design principles are applied in manufacturing and architectural firms.
TU Darmstadt
Isabell holds a Master’s degree in Façade Engineering and has worked with several façade teams, including ARUP and Bollinger+Grohmann. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she is also part of the Glass and Polymers Research Group. Her research focuses on improving the thermal performance of vacuum glazing panels. Additionally, she is involved in a project developing a material-efficient, fully functional façade detail for the connection of structural glass elements.
With five years of teaching experience, Isabell has restructured multiple courses on façade technology, integrating life cycle principles into the curriculum. She emphasizes a hands-on approach and encourages her students to critically evaluate and enhance existing concepts. In 2023, she hosted an international student workshop on ‘Climate Positive Façades.’
TU Darmstadt
Isabell holds a Master’s degree in Façade Engineering and has worked with several façade teams, including ARUP and Bollinger+Grohmann. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she is also part of the Glass and Polymers Research Group. Her research focuses on improving the thermal performance of vacuum glazing panels. Additionally, she is involved in a project developing a material-efficient, fully functional façade detail for the connection of structural glass elements.
With five years of teaching experience, Isabell has restructured multiple courses on façade technology, integrating life cycle principles into the curriculum. She emphasizes a hands-on approach and encourages her students to critically evaluate and enhance existing concepts. In 2023, she hosted an international student workshop on ‘Climate Positive Façades.’
TU Darmstadt
Nathan Boscheinen is Master’s student at TU Darmstadt and Façade Engineer with a keen interest in implementing circularity in the façade industry.
Eurac Research
Miren Juaristi Gutierrez, Senior Researcher at EURAC Research, has a degree in Architecture and a PhD in Environmental and Technological Design in Architecture from the University of Navarra, Spain. Her research focuses on the development of innovative façade technologies. Adaptability, circularity and prefabrication are the main pillars of her R&D activities. Since February 2023, she is the coordinator of the EU HEU ZERAF project, funded by the European Innovation Council Pathfinder (GA n. 101098490). She is also an active member of the European Façade Network and contributes to façade education programmes.
Here's what you will learn in each module:
- In Module 1, you will gain familiarity with the concept of the circular economy. You will apply this approach to architecture and explore state-of-the-art façade design processes.
- In Module 2 you will identify technical, logistical, financial, and legal barriers to achieving circularity in façade design.
- In Module 3 you will explore design strategies that promote circularity, such as modular design, material reuse, and life cycle thinking.
- In Module 4 you will gain practical insights by examining successful yet challenging, implementations of circular design strategies in real-life façade projects.
- In Module 5 you will learn about methods and tools for assessing the circularity of façade designs, including lifecycle assessment and material flow analysis.
- In Module 6 you will discover and discuss emerging technologies, processes, and design philosophies that could shape the future of circular façade design.
