Tag Archives: Façade

Hong Kong, No.2-12 Observatory Road

All Projects, Commercial/Offices, Hong Kong

Office tower development comprising a distinctive recessed feature in the middle of the front elevation with lighting features along the entire building. The building optimises its presence in a compact space through its distinctive slanted façade with sharp edges at its corner. The façade system comprises of both unitised and stick curtain wall systems, glass fins and self-supporting light boxes with an LED-embedded canopy at the entrance.

Inhabit Scope
Full process Façade and BMU Consultant including design, specification, tender,  shop drawing review and construction supervision.

Architect
Ma Leung Architects

No.2-12 Observatory Road

The National Construction Code – Are Spandrel Panels a wall or a glazing element?

News

Historically, when assessing the performance of a curtain wall panel, the total average U–value of the façade is calculated. If this meets the requirements of the Section J glazing calculator, it is deemed to comply with the National Construction Code (NCC).

However, this assumption is actually incorrect and not how the ABCB (Australian Building Codes Board) perceived it would be interpreted.  A spandrel panel is defined as an external wall element due to the insulation component behind the glazing. As such, the centre pane R-value, must comply with the requirements for a wall.

The ABCB has developed a suite of glazing calculators to assist NCC users with the calculations required by the elemental Deemed-to-Satisfy energy efficiency provisions in NCC Volumes One and Two.  This means that the glazing calculator only applies to the vision glass and as such the vision panel must meet the total U-value requirements as stipulated by the glazing calculator for each project.

This means for up and coming projects, designers will need to re-think the requirements for curtain wall specifications. For contractors, the façade needs to meet the relevant specification and it must be checked for NCC compliance given the more stringent requirements in the NCC 2011 and 2012 additions.

For detailed enquiries, please feel free to contact:
Melbourne – Darren O’Dea  +61 3 8669 2777
Sydney – Samantha Anderson  +61 2 8003 6333

Robert Stephens makes presentation to The Institute of Structural Engineers, Dubai

News

Robert Stephens was invited to make a presentation to the Institute of Structural Engineers in Dubai on the subject of the Façade Engineering of the Meydan Race Course Grandstand, at Nad al Sheba, UAE.

Meydan Race Course Grandstand 01

The Meydan Race course grandstand is a landmark building in Dubai and is approximately 1km in length. The building comprises a concrete substructure with a cantilevered mega-structure steel roof which cantilevers over 200 meters at each end. The building is enclosed with many innovative lightweight structural façade systems which have been engineered using the latest manufacturing techniques.

In this presentation, design development and construction of the most innovative façade elements is explained by Mr Robert Stephens who, at the time was the technical consultant responsible for the engineering design, procurement, fabrication and  construction of the façade envelope. Topics that were covered were the design of structural glass, the design of dynamic structures, geometric modelling and analysis of free form structures, detailing, buildability and functionality of façades.

Robert has over 15 yeMeydan Race Course Grandstand 02ars of experience in lightweight structural design in the Far and Middle East, specialising in tension cable, glass and freeform structures.

Robert has been working in the UAE for the last 7 years heading up specialist engineering teams, he is a chartered structural engineer and is a fellow of the Society of Façade Engineers.

About: Inhabit is the world’s first consulting group focused exclusively on providing specialist engineering services. We complement traditional engineers and architects and deliver technical input to improve the quality and efficiency of today’s buildings.

At Inhabit we aim to deliver fully coordinated services incorporating both local constraints and world best practices, in what we believe is the most effective way possible.

For further enquiries, please visit http://www.inhabitgroup.com