The design of urban spaces requires a combination of aesthetics and durability of the various components. The outer surfaces of the buildings are exposed to various factors: mechanical, chemical and thermal, the weather, and also to factors related to human activity. A good solution to all these environmental impacts are the so called ventilated facades. They give the building a decorative finish and protect the underlying layers, providing comfortable living conditions.
The ventilated facades are multilayer structures. They include a supporting structure, a thermal insulation panel, finish cladding, accessories and fasteners. The outer cladding is mounted at a certain distance from the heat insulating panel, which creates an air gap on the principle of the natural ventilation. The system allows for flexibility of the facade structures upon different thermal expansions, while not affecting the secure fixing of the individual components.
The recommended mounting gap creates convection. It prevents the building from overheating in the summer and overcooling in the winter.
The ventilated facades allow the building to "breathe" and eliminate condensation inside the living space. These systems are used both for newly constructed buildings (for eliminating construction generated moisture) and for the renovation of old buildings (for improving the quality of the existing structures).
Apart from heat insulation, the air gap provides a high level of sound insulation, a very important consideration when living in a bustling city.