Abstract In the last few years, new production methods and techniques have made it possible to realise large‐format cladding elements for ventilated façades. However, the adoption of this technology has not been followed by scientific knowledge, leaving gaps and hidden pitfalls. This paper, presenting the first results of a broader research project, aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of the art and the emerging trends in this research area, highlighting opportunities and constraints. A range of cladding materials and fixing solutions is presented, with a focus on production methods, properties and limitations. Furthermore, operational procedures for the transportation, handling and installation are discussed.

The paper deals with the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for the thermal performance analysis and optimisation of prefabricated Timber-Concrete Composite (TCC) ventilated façades. TCC envelopes are composed of an internal insulated timber-frame wall coupled to an external concrete slab, separated by a ventilated air cavity. Such systems join the properties of engineered timber (good seismic behaviour, low thermal conductivity, environmental sustainability, and ease of system integration) with those of concrete (high thermal inertia, excellent durability and fire resistance). There is very limited knowledge on the performance of TCC facades, especially for what concerns their thermal behaviour. For this reason, a TCC ventilated façade located in the north of Italy was monitored over one year, and the results collected were used to calibrate and validate a CFD model. A new solver algorithm was developed to speed up the CFD simulations, allowing up to 45 times faster analysis compared to conventional solvers. Thanks to this improvement, the final model is suitable to be used for time-efficient thermal analysis (a full-day real-time simulation takes approximately 23 minutes), limiting the expensive and time-consuming construction of mock-ups. The CFD model developed is suitable for the thermal performance analysis and optimisation of TCC ventilated facades, but also for generic ventilated facades with external massive cladding, both in the case of new and existing buildings.

The research addresses the topic of the mechanical behaviour of ventilated façades in case of fire. Whereas Italian and international regulations mainly focus on the reaction to fire of adopted materials, they don’t pay specific attention to the structural resistance of the façade. Most of the substructures adopted for ventilated façades are made of thin-walled steel or aluminium profiles, whose mechanical properties decay dramatically as the temperature increases. Furthermore, relevant thermal expansions modify the static design scheme leading to the onset of indirect actions and eventually to the structure’s failure. Due to the interconnection between the substructure and the cladding elements, the latter are also affected by these phenomena and susceptible to local damages. The falling of broken slabs could seriously compromise the safety of escaping building users and firefighters called to intervene. The article discusses the effect of fire on the structural resistance of ventilated façades, comparing the sensitivity to this phenomenon of profiles made of aluminium, carbon steel and stainless steel, with light and heavy cladding and different support systems. A finite element model was created to evaluate the temperature’s evolution over time and the consequent mechanical response for the various configurations. It is eventually demonstrated that not all current solutions can guarantee the stability of the façade.

Timber-concrete composite (TCC) systems join the positive aspects of engineered wood products (good seismic behaviour, low thermal conductivity, environmental sustainability, good behaviour under fire if appropriately designed) with those of concrete (high thermal inertia, durability, excellent fire resistance). TCC facades are typically composed by an internal insulated timber-frame wall and an external concrete slab, separated by a ventilated air cavity. However, there is very limited knowledge concerning the performance of TCC facades, especially for what concerns their thermal behaviour. The present paper deals with the development and optimisation of a 2D CFD model for the analysis of TCC ventilated façades thermal behaviour. The model is calibrated and validated against the experimental data collected during the annual monitoring of a real TCC ventilated envelope in the north of Italy. Also, a new solver algorithm is developed to significantly speed up the simulation. The final model can be used for the time-efficient analysis and optimisation of the thermal performance of TCC ventilated facades, as well as other ventilated facades with external massive cladding, avoiding the expensive and time-consuming construction of mock-ups, or the use of comparably slow (conventional) CFD solvers that are less suitable for optimization studies.

Timber–concrete composite (TCC) systems join the positive aspects of engineered wood products (good seismftaic behaviour, low thermal conductivity, environmental sustainability, good behaviour under fire if appropriately designed) with those of concrete (high thermal inertia, durability, excellent fire resistance). TCC facades are typically composed of an internal insulated timber-frame wall and an external concrete slab, separated by a ventilated air cavity. However, there is very limited knowledge concerning the performance of TCC facades, especially concerning their thermal behaviour. The present paper deals with the development and optimization of a 2D Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model for the analysis of TCC ventilated façades’ thermal behaviour. The model is calibrated and validated against experimental data collected during the annual monitoring of a real TCC ventilated envelope in the north of Italy. Also, a new solver algorithm is developed to significantly speed up the simulation (i.e., 45 times faster simulation at an error below 3.5 °C compared to a typical CFD solver). The final model can be used for the time-efficient analysis (simulation time of approximately 23 min for a full day in real-time) and the optimization of the thermal performance of TCC ventilated facades, as well as other ventilated facades with external massive cladding. Our simulation strategy partially avoids the expensive and time-consuming construction of mock-ups, or the use of comparably slow (conventional) CFD solvers that are less suitable for optimization studies.

The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased in the last few years. Buildings resiliency against natural hazards (hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, etc.) is fundamental for the adaptation to climate change, however it is hardly included in their design. Buildings exposed to extreme climate conditions may become drivers of vulnerability, rather than providing shelter for users, leading to human and economic losses. The building stock assessment appears to be quite detailed about seismic vulnerability and energy demand related to climate change, but not towards other hazardous events, such as extreme winds. Furthermore, climate data provided by current standards and used for building design need to be seriously reconsidered, since they no longer represent the real weather variables. During windstorms, the main threats are mainly due to the detaching and flying of materials and elements from buildings and urban furniture. The chapter deals with the effects and consequences of strong wind events on the built heritage and calls for an urban transition to create resilient and safe environments for the people. An overview of the current standards related to building design against wind is presented, and mitigation and adaptation strategies are proposed to respond to current and future climate threats.

The construction of timber buildings has increased in recent years, thanks to the excellent properties of the material. To achieve improved behaviour in terms of mechanical properties, energy and acoustic performance, fire resistance and durability, timber structures are sometimes integrated with other materials, such as concrete and steel, resulting in hybrid timber-based structures. This paper presents a literature review on hybrid timberbased structures, summarizing the state of the art of hybrid timber-based structures constructed to date and examining the main research contributions. The aim is to establish a background for improving existing solutions or proposing new hybrid timber-based systems and components.

It seems promising and relevant to consider digital processes of industries and complexes in the context of the digital transformation of a region, which encourages the region’s sustainable development. Due to the digitalisation of the construction complex of a region we can evaluate the digital infrastructure development at the design and production stage (i.e. from the design documentation to the commissioning of facilities). The basis for the digitalisation of the construction complex is BIM technologies, which should be transferred from the micro level to the meso level (the level of a municipality or region) and later to the macro level (the level of the entire country). The study aimed to analyse and estimate groups of quantitative factors that characterise the digital potential of the construction complex. The research methods included quantitative and qualitative analysis. A comparative analysis of factors (i.e. indexes and rankings) was performed, and the groups of factors were ranked to determine whether regions are ready to digitalise the construction complex. This was done in accordance with expert assessments based on the results of a survey. The study compared the previously identified quantitative and qualitative factors with each other in order to eliminate duplication of the components of the qualitative factors, such as indices and ratings. Consequently, a necessary and sufficient sample of the factors was formed. This sample can be further used to correctly rank the degree to which Russian regions are prepared to digitalise the construction complex. To rank the factors to measure their importance and significance, the survey was conducted by groups: 1) socio-economic conditions for industry digitalisation; 2) development of science and innovation in the regions; 3) development of the construction complex in the regions; and 4) development of digital technologies in the regions. Based on the survey, the selected factors were ranked, particularly by groups. The results of this study can be used to refine the ranking of the regions’ degree of readiness for the digitalisation of the construction complex as well as to determine the effectiveness of the ranking.

Ventilated façades can help to reduce summer building thermal loads and, therefore, energy consumption due to air-conditioning systems thanks to the combined effect of the solar radiation reflection and the natural or forced ventilation into the cavity. The evaluation of ventilated façades behavior and performance is complex and requires a complete thermo-fluid dynamic analysis. In this study, a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) methodology has been developed for the complete assessment of the energy performance of a prefabricated timber–concrete composite ventilated façade module in different operating conditions. Global numerical results are presented as well as local ones in terms of heat flux, air velocity, and temperature inside the façade cavity. The results show the dependency of envelope efficiency on solar radiation, the benefits that natural convection brings on potential energy savings and the importance of designing an optimized façade geometry. The results concerning the façade behavior have been thoroughly compared with International Standards, showing the good accuracy of the model with respect to these well-known procedures. This comparison allowed also to highlight the International Standards procedures limits in evaluating the ventilated façade behavior with the necessary level of detail, with the risk of leading to design faults.