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Facade Engineering Services

When the public judge a building they do so by judging the facade. However, a facade is not just a pretty face – it’s a crucial element of a successful building that determines both its aesthetics and performance

PERFORMANCE AND AESTHETICS

We are a group of more than a hundred experts from multiple backgrounds who are passionate about tackling the complexities inherent to increasingly sophisticated and creative architecture. Our facade practice includes engineers, architects and consultants devoted to turning ambitious visions into reality while ensuring perfect environment for tenants and low energy and maintenance costs for building owners.  

Balancing aesthetic, environmental and structural issues is key to creating building façades that provide an effective interface between the exterior elements and interior spaces. From design to construction and maintenance, we help create building façades that reduce energy costs, improve indoor comfort and minimise environmental impacts. 

With our deep knowledge of building science and façade materials and systems, we can provide expert advices and technical support from conceptual design to tender specifications, from construction documentation peer review to system fabrication inspection and construction monitoring.

We work both on new buildings façades and on existing buildings for restoration, analysis and evaluation of heat, air and moisture on the building enclosure. 

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP

The collaborative service we offer will sharpen the architectural intent with respect to ensuring good performance of the proposed facade systems, adding best value to the project and assisting our clients to establish good manufacturing practice from the early stages of design.

WSP’s façade experts work closely with building services designers to optimise the building envelope. In collaboration with our clients, we focus on creating economically viable solutions that can be built safely and within the context of environmental sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY AND COMFORT

As the primary barrier between the occupants and the elements, the facade system must be strong, fire, water and windproof, but also energy-efficient.

Our designs include solutions that make façades more responsive to climate. With regulations governing energy use and environmental sustainability on the rise, we are seeing a huge shift in the way that façades are designed. Improved passive solar control, with a strong emphasis on external shading, together with active measures to make façades more responsive to the climate are no longer just desirable, they are legal requirements.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Designing a façade system encompasses structural engineering, building physics, materials science, weatherproofing technology, architectural detailing, construction management and many other disciplines. To provide clients with optimal solutions and solve all interfacing problems, WSP's façade consultants can tap into a wide resource pool across the company and bring specialist skills to façade projects. This includes façade engineers, structural and MEP engineers, sustainability experts, acousticians, lighting designers, security consultants, blast analysis experts and fire engineers. 

FAÇADE ENGINEERING FOR HIGH RISE

The façade is by far the most significant component of a tower. High-rise façades are increasingly complicated as architects design more intricate forms, including details such as multi-sloped surfaces, cantilevers, chamfers, lanterns and canopies. WSP has extensive experience with complex façade systems for tall buildings, allowing us to provide the best possible advice to developers and architects. 

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