Sustainable façade design: Prototyping and evaluating self-shading and flat modules for thermal performance and environmental impact

The pursuit of sustainability and the imperative to minimize energy consumption have spurred innovative experiments in architecture, driving the demand for solutions that are efficient in shading building envelopes. For this reason, this study aimed to propose two sustainable prefabricated façade modules, a folded self-shading module and a flat module, and to optimize assembly details, base materials, geometries and finishing coating. A multidisciplinary study has been carried out, focusing on their technological definition, development and structural verification of joints, optimization of panel shapes based on solar path evaluation, experimental measurements of summer thermal performance and comparison of environmental impact (LCA) and economic costs. During the experimental phase, the thermal performance of eight different modules was evaluated by varying characteristics such as shape, surface finish, and material. Among the solutions explored, two modules notably reduced the surface temperatures of the walls behind them: the flat panel featuring heat-reflective paint and the self-shading panel without paint (or with traditional paint). The LCA analysis and costs/maintenance evaluations identified the flat aluminium module with heat-reflective paint as the optimal solution due to its superior performance in reducing temperatures, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, and achieving higher durability and cost efficiency.