An Integrated Design Methodology for Extrinsic Adaptive Facades

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector is the world’s largest industry, responsible for over 30% of global emissions and energy use in 2022. With growing population and resource demands, sustainable solutions are critical. Adaptive facades - facades that adjust automatically to environmental changes - offer significant potential for reducing energy consumption and emissions. However, their complexity, high cost, and design challenges hinder widespread adoption. Meanwhile, productivity growth in AEC has lagged behind other industries due to a lack of advanced design methodologies that streamline development and reduce errors. This research investigates how transferring methodologies from mechanical engineering can improve adaptive facade design. Through empirical studies, an integrated design approach is proposed, focusing on the early design phase. A taxonomy of adaptive façades and an online database support decision-making, while a case study and workshops validate the methodology’s effectiveness. The results show high statistical significance, suggesting that the proposed approach could facilitate the broader adoption of adaptive facades in practice.