Green and Sustainable Facade Technology
The building skin affects both the appearance and performance of a building like no other building system.Facade and curtainwall systems are thus of paramount importance when considering issues of green building and sustainable design. We at Enclos understand the importance of leading the effort to improve the performance and sustainability of the building envelope, and we commit ourselves to supporting the design team in their sustainable design efforts.
We have many LEED accredited professionals on staff (including at the executive level), a mechanical engineering group with advanced CFD analysis capability, and the ability to perform whole-building energy analysis. An aggressive and ongoing research and development program assures you of state-of-the-art wall systems engineered and tested to the most demanding performance criteria. We are continuously seeking new materials and methods to further enhance this performance.
LEED Certified Buildings
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System has proven to be a viable and effective means of reducing overall energy consumption and improving the sustainability of building practices, while at the same time bringing increased value to a building as evidenced by higher occupancy and rental rates. The building skin is a paramount consideration in any building project, but presents particular opportunities in a project where LEED certification is part of the program.Enclos understands the nuances of the LEED rating system particularly as it relates to the building skin.
Double Skins and Active Facades
This emergent technology is finding increased application in building projects where the attributes of transparent facades are desired yet the performance of the building skin is paramount. These sophisticated facade designs can compensate for the inherently poor insulating properties of glass. In addition to providing a thermal barrier, the systems can also provide an effective means of ventilation, and often involve shading devices for the control of solar penetration and glare. They can also provide significantly enhanced acoustical performance, and in certain applications are used for this reason alone. The Loyola Information Commons features a west facing double skin active facade with a cable net supported outer skin. This project was one of three featured at the McGraw-Hill Innovation Conference on Net-zero Energy Use in Buildings. Enclos can provide complete design-build services for custom double skin unitized curtainwall systems or more complex long-span facade systems as required for any particular building project.
Building Systems Integration and BIPV
Optimizing energy performance in buildings requires an integrated approach to building systems design, analysis and implementation. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is an increasingly popular approach for using the building skin as a means to harvest solar energy. More recent techniques involve systems of lighting, lighting controls, sensors and shading devices all integrated with the building skin, and in turn integrated with the building HVAC systems. Such design strategies can reduce heat gain or loss, control direct solar penetration and glare, harvest daylight to reduce cooling load, and even provide ventilation, producing a more comfortable interior space in the process.Enclos Corp has the ability to develop custom integrated systems in response to your particular building performance requirements.
From Net-Zero to Net-Plus
Oil prices may fluctuate in the short term, but in the long term there is little doubt that energy costs will continue to rise, as will the cost to the environment of unwise use of our energy resources in buildings. It is imperative that we improve the efficiency and sustainability of our build environment. Net-zero energy use in buildings is a goal being increasingly embraced by forward thinking building designers and developers. An even greater opportunity presents itself in the notion of our buildings as energy producers. Enclos sees the potential for the building skin to make a major contribution in this regard, and toward this end we are committed to continuing to play a leadership role in facade system development.
