Facade Engineering AI

Facade engineering involves the structural, thermal, moisture, and aesthetic performance of the building envelope — curtain walls, window walls, rainscreen cladding, precast panels, and specialty systems like double-skin facades and point-supported glass. AI assists with the multi-criteria optimization that makes facade design complex.

Structural analysis of facade systems involves wind load resistance, seismic drift accommodation, thermal movement, and dead load support. AI evaluates the mullion sizing, anchor spacing, and connection design for the specific loading conditions at each location on the building — accounting for the fact that corner zones experience higher wind pressures than field areas, and upper floors experience greater seismic drift than lower floors.

The thermal performance analysis evaluates condensation resistance (checking that interior surface temperatures stay above dewpoint at design winter conditions), energy performance (U-factor and SHGC at the whole-assembly level including framing), and thermal comfort (evaluating radiant asymmetry and draft risk near the facade). AI optimizes the thermal break design and glazing selection to meet all performance criteria simultaneously.