Design choices establish energy usage

Choices made in the initial stages of the design of a building facade determine the extent to which systems and energy must be used to keep its inhabitants comfortable, it has been asserted.

Albert Bicol, a partner with design firm Cobalt Engineering, told online resource the Journal of Commerce in recent days that designers can elect to work in harmony with, or against the grain of, the surrounding environment.

It is suggested that informed choices with regard to glazing, building materials and the type of facade can help structures to take advantage of "low-quality energy" – such as sunlight – into high-quality energy – such as electricity.

"We should be designing the building facade to take advantage of overhangs and shading and natural vegetation," Mr Bicol concluded.

Meanwhile, online resource SmartPlanet reports that a study carried out by the O2 Energy Saver Fund recently found that 75 per cent of Britons are keen to improve their energy-efficiency.