Ventilated Facades: what they are and how they work

Ventilated Facades: what they are and how they work

The ventilated facades

Ventilated facades built with ceramic tiles are a type of external cladding that offers various advantages in terms of energy efficiency, thermal and acoustic insulation, protection from rain and humidity, and aesthetic enhancement of the building.

Ventilated facades are composed of four main layers:

the load-bearing layer, which supports the structure of the building and can be made of concrete, brick, wood or metal;
the insulation layer, which reduces heat dispersion and thermal bridges, and can be made of polystyrene, polyurethane, rock wool or other materials;
the ventilation cavity, which creates an ascending air flow between the insulation layer and the cladding, exploiting the chimney effect, and which promotes cooling in summer and heating in winter;
the cladding, which is the visible part of the facade and which can be made with different materials, including ceramic tiles.

Ceramic roof tiles are a natural, resistant, durable and versatile material, which adapts to different architectural styles and climatic environments. Ceramic tiles can have different shapes, sizes, colors and finishes, and can be fixed to the substructure using mechanical or adhesive fastening systems. Ceramic roof tiles offer good resistance to fire, atmospheric agents, UV rays and temperature changes, and do not require particular maintenance. Furthermore, ceramic tiles are an ecological, recyclable and low environmental impact material.

The role of the facade in a building is to relate to the context and regulate the exchange of heat, air and light between the inside and the outside. Among the best performing solutions for improving the comfort and efficiency of the architectural envelope is the ventilated facade, a particularly advantageous system if well designed in terms of energy saving, acoustic insulation, protection of the structure, but also of architectural value. But how do ventilated facades work? What are the most suitable materials?

Each building "communicates" and relates to the outside through the facades. Thermal and acoustic insulation, the quantity of light and air, depend on the conformation of the facades, which have the precise purpose of protecting and regulating the relationships between "inside" and "outside".