A new concept of curtain wall

Different meanings for the term sustainability and various issues arising from the growing need to upgrade existing buildings with aesthetic and energy-efficient renovations have made possible, if not essential, a new multidisciplinary approach. The new approach, aims to identify the proper methodologies and technical solutions able to combine energy efficiency with maintenance, while paying particular attention to the inevitable needs to use renewable energy sources and the critical issues associated with the high costs of implementation/management, which are further prohibitive due to a widespread economic crisis. Such an approach requires a methodological premise regarding interactions that arise, regardless of, and sometimes against the wishes of scholars across sector-specific disciplines, regarding interventions on existing architecture. At the same time, it also requires a technological premise on last generation materials, including insulating materials, coatings, layers of coverings, technicaltextiles, photovoltaic components, etc. The result consist of specific proposals of technical solutions as respectful of conservation requirements as needs concerning energy-efficiency, and at the same time, advocating sustainability. This report presents, in particular, external over-coating insulating materials that, contrary to what one might think, can reach, with innovative coating systems, targets of maintenance, repair and renovation of the envelope without creating environmental impact problems. From this point of view, building envelopes can be a solution to improve energy performance with the dry renewal of the skin of damaged buildings and the chance, if properly integrated, of production from renewable energy sources.