Civil Engineering
FACADE TECHONOLOGIES
Description
Theory/Practice
4
Instructors
Rodrigo Falcão Moreira
Contents
The programme is organised into three modules:
Module1: Fundamentals and construction systems ? façade functions, typologies (masonry, ventilated, curtain wall, hybrid), main materials and fenestration systems.
Module 2: Integration with the building and constructive performance ? structural attachment, regulatory actions (wind, permanent loads, introductory seismic effects), airtightness, water tightness, pathologies, maintenance and rehabilitation. Includes practical verification of glass, stone, fixings, and masonry.
Module 3: Innovation and professional practice ? innovative solutions, sustainability, case studies, guest seminars from industry, and final project presentations.
Learning Outcomes
This course aims to provide students with core competences in the design, analysis, and assessment of building façade systems. The emphasis is placed on façade functions, construction typologies, and the main materials, with particular focus on structural integration, regulatory actions, constructive performance, and frequent pathologies. Students are also expected to gain awareness of innovation and sustainability, through exposure to prefabrication, modularity, double-skin façades, photovoltaic integration, and other emerging trends.
Specific objectives include:
- understanding the role of façades in overall building performance;
- acquiring knowledge of materials, construction systems, and fenestration;
- applying simplified normative methods to verify the safety of glass, stone, and masonry elements;
- identifying common façade pathologies and proposing preventive maintenance measures;
- analysing real case studies and reflecting on innovation and sustainability.