Jeff Tsai is a Facacde Consultant and leads the Arup Shanghai team of building envelope specialists. He has over 23 years of experience in the construction industry and has been involved in projects all around the world, from design, testing, fabrication to site supervision and management of complex facade systems. For the last 15 years Jeff has worked in Asia, leading on a variety of projects of varying complexity, scale, environment, technical requirements and costs, which make him extremely experienced in the construction practices of this fast growing region. In this presentation Jeff gives an introduction on the current situation of intelligent facades in China. He describes Arup’s approach to innovative and efficient building envelopes, showing exemplary case studies, such as the bioreactive facade that produces energy by harvesting micro-algae and other innovative systems.

1. 1
Innovative and Intelligent facades
By Jeff Tsai
Arup Building Envelope Design

2. 2
Innovative facades around the world
Six Selected Projects
1. Beijing
2. Abu Dhabi
3. Tokyo
4. Hong Kong
5. Hamburg
6. London / Europe

3. 3
Beijing Green Pix Media Wall
Medial Wall + Glass Rain Screen + 2,292 LEDs
Simone Giostra & Partners
2,000m² “interactive skin”
Completed: 2008

4. 4
Beijing Green Pix
PV cell Laminated glass: solar energy collector and light diffuser

5. 5
PV cell generate energy during the day

6. 6
Beijing Green Pix
Taking the first step is key to progress
The stored energy used to light the wall at night

7. 7
Abu Dhabi Investment Council
Two 150m tall office + automated solar shading
AEDAS
Completed: 2013

8. 8
Automated “Umbrella” open/close based on sun path

9. 9
Abu Dhabi Investment Council
Predominate energy used in the office is for cooling
Balance between good light transmission and SHG
High performance glass + Dynamic solar shading
Solve technical problem while delivering a design icon
Automated “Umbrella” open/close based on sun path

10. 10
Automated “Umbrella”: Structural + mechanical

11. 11
Abu Dhabi
Investment Council
Headquarters
Pineapple
Anyone?!

12. 18
Hong Kong Construction Industry Council
Zero Carbon Building
Integrates work, education and social well-being
An exhibition/education centre
An eco-home show flat
A multi-function room
Ronald Lu &
Partners (HK) Ltd
Completed: 2012

13. 19
Utilizes natural ventilation, day lighting, sustainable materials
Integrated landscape: minimizes the urban heat island effect
Ultra-energy-efficient building systems with smart control
monitors that minimized consumption
Hong Kong Construction Industry Council
Zero Carbon Building
Energy reduction by 45%

14. 20
Analysis vs. Real Data
A smart building with more than 3,000 sensors
reporting on every aspect of its performance.
There are four microclimate monitoring stations
placed around the site to enhance understanding
of how the building performs and interacts with
its surroundings.

15. 21
The skin is an important part of the building

16. 22
Hong Kong Construction Industry Council
Zero Carbon Building
The skin should suite the building

17. 33
Green wall at Quai Branly Museum, Oasis of Aboukir
Green Façades By Patrick Blanc

18. 34
Living wall façade – watch it grow!
A lightweight, modular living wall system
Proof-of-concept phase
Undergoing small-scale trials in London, Berlin, San Francisco and Singapore.

19. 35
A “Green” Rain-Screen System
Living wall façade
A lightweight, modular living wall system
The Living
Rain-Screen
Wild Screen (working name): The system used hydroponics for nutrient and water delivery, and
seeds are grown on-site rather than in greenhouses, making for more robust plants suited to their
living environment.

20. 36
Rapid growth

21. 37
Goals
The system is designed to be visually
appealing from day one, and to evolve over
time to the delight of the onlooker.
The intention is to make living walls cheaper
and easier to specify, install and maintain
than alternatives, and therefore more
accessible to building owners and other
stakeholders.

22. 38
Watch it grow! In 2 month period

23. 39
Thank You!
Q & A