Editorial

Abstract

This special issue is linked to the conference FAÇADE 2018 – Adaptive!, the fifth conference that is organised by Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts within the framework of the European Façade Network EFN. FAÇADE 2018 is also the final conference of the COST Action TU1403 “Adaptive facades network” (www.tu1403.eu) and dedicated to multifunctional, adaptive and dynamic building envelopes.

Approximately one third of all end-user energy in Europe today is consumed by space heating / cooling, ventilation and lighting of buildings. Therefore, the energy performance of future building envelopes will play a key role in order to meeting the EU climate and energy sustainability targets. Whereas most of our today’s facades are passive systems and are largely exhausted from an energetic point of view, multifunctional, adaptive and dynamic facades can be considered as the next big milestone in façade technology. Adaptive building envelopes are able to interact with the environment and the user by reacting to external influences and adapting their behaviour and functionality accordingly: the building envelope insulates only when necessary, it produces energy when possible, it shades or ventilates when the indoor comfort so demands. Nevertheless, the development and realisation of adaptive building envelopes is still in the initial stage

In order to advance the development and application of adaptive facades COST Action TU1403 “Adaptive facades network” was initiated in 2014. The COST Action, which started in 2015 and ends by the end of 2018 is a European research project with the objective to support trans-national cooperation between researchers and industry through science and technology networks. Over four years, more than 210 participants from 27 countries were involved in numerous COST networking activities: 15 meetings, two training schools, two industry workshops, 31 short term scientific missions and two conferences.