Though the technologies are dynamically developing and there are a lot of research projects, there is still no general opinion on a glass-facade building among the European scientific community, architects and construction engineers. The increasing requirements to heat-protective qualities of translucent structures make us think of the necessity of a quantum leap both in technologies and in principal approaches to the development of architectural and constructive solutions of translucent shells. Together with economical features, the dynamics of heat-protective indicators’ increase show the tendencies to reaching the possibilities limits of mass glass units. The European construction practice usually solve this problem by developing sealed insulating glass units and by different conceptual solutions of the systems of translucent double facades. In the given article the basic theoretical principles and innovative engineering ideas are formulated dealing with the modern glass-facade building construction. “Green Building” conception is analyzed as a European new building philosophy.
Assessing the energy performance of modern glass facade systems
