The main concerns of dealing with tropical climates are heat and humidity, which can create high levels of discomfort for building occupants. Conventional façade systems such as glass curtain walls or aluminium cladding often aggravate these issues, and create a heavy reliance on air-conditioning, which is predicted to account for up to 40% of Asean’s overall electricity demand by 2040 [1]. In the pursuit of more sustainable practices, it is time to move away from these conventional systems, and adopt more effective façade solutions instead.

One such solution we can offer is the ADAS® Fabric Façade, an architectural façade system that uses high quality PVDF/PTFE-coated mesh materials. At a glance, fabric mesh facades are extremely lightweight and easy to maintain, and also come in a variety of colours and customisable print options. Fabric facades also exhibit properties that make them advantageous in tropical weather, as elaborated below. 

Performance

In the tropics, the challenge for designers is to establish a building skin that provides sufficient shade, but also enables ventilation. Often, natural lighting has to be compromised to reduce heat and glare from the sun, or ventilation reduced to prevent rain penetration. Fabric facades alleviate these issues as they allow for the sufficient natural lighting while still being permeable and breathable. Compared to curtains or blinds, fabric facades protect the exterior of the building and create a thermally insulating skin whilst still ensuring a well-illuminated interior with diffused light.

ADAS® Fabric Facades have high outward visibility, which means that occupants can have a great view of the outdoors, while privacy is still ensured. Acoustic insulation properties, shading and translucency can also be varied according to the type of mesh fabric used.

Distinct aesthetic qualities

ADAS® Fabric Facades are not only a great solution for indoor climate control, but have unique aesthetic qualities that can be much further explored. The flexibility of the fabric mesh allows irregular and curved facades to be produced with ease, and colours and prints provide brightness and vibrance to each building. Glare is also greatly reduced for both occupants and passersby, result in a more visually comfortable building within and without.

Furthermore, the reflectivity, translucency, and opacity of the material can be specified, creating varying effects in different lighting conditions, especially between the day and night. With the integration of lighting systems and graphic personalisation, ADAS® Fabric Facades can be highly expressive and produce endless possibilities for every occasion.

Sustainability

In addition to saving energy costs on lighting and active cooling systems, ADAS® Fabric Facades require minimal structure due to the lightness of the fabric material. The mesh materials are also extremely easy to clean and maintain, quick to install, and can be recycled at the end of their 18 to 30-year lifespan, which reduces the environmental impact of each Fabric Façade system.

Conclusion

At ADAS, we take pride in providing one-stop solutions for clients. The overall appearance and function of each fabric façade, down to the small connection details, are handled by our experienced team, and hence we are able to constantly improve existing systems at each stage from design to installation.

With offices in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, we believe that the fabric façade market can only grow in this region, and we are more than well-equipped to handle any design challenge that may arise.

 

 

Source:

[1] https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/high-time-singapore-does-something-about-its-inefficient-reliance-air-conditioning