Active, Passive and Cyber-Physical Adaptive Façade Strategies

In view of the required energy savings in the building sector, there is an urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions to increase the performance of building envelopes. Adaptive façades can make an important contribution, whereby passive low-tech strategies and active high-tech solutions are apparently incompatible. In current digitalization, new technologies and methods for the implementation of adaptive façades emerge in the framework of Cyber-Physical Systems. The investigation follows the research question: How can active and passive approaches of adaptive façades be mediated and what potential do Cyber-Physical Systems have for the implementation of hybrid solution approaches in the future? The article presents a comparative case study of the two research projects ADAPTEX and PRÄKLIMA as examples of passive and active adaptation strategies in the façade industry. In this context, the potential for further research of Cyber-Physical Systems in the application domain of adaptive façades as a catalyst for high-performance and multifunctional solutions, and as a mediator between both strategies, is highlighted. The main findings are the potential application of cyber-physical system technologies to the design and monitoring of passive adaptive façade solutions, as well as the possible integration of passively conceptualized components into active overall systems.