Membrane Facades & Secondary Skins

Two problems tend to show up together on commercial buildings: the facade starts to look dated, and the cooling bill won't come down. A membrane facade handles both at once. Fitted as a second skin outside the existing wall or glazing, it stops solar heat before it reaches the building and gives the whole elevation a new face without tearing off the old one.

In a tropical climate, most of a building's cooling load walks in through solar radiation on the east and west faces. Stopping that radiation outside the envelope is far more effective than fighting it from inside with air conditioning.

The two types we build most

• Mesh secondary skin. A porous membrane mounted at a distance from the existing wall or glazing. It blocks most solar radiation yet stays see-through from inside, and lets air move through the cavity behind it. The usual choice for office and campus buildings.
• Solid membrane facade. A full membrane forming new geometry on the building face. Chosen when the goal is transformation: showrooms, malls, buildings that want to read as landmarks, especially with night lighting bringing the form alive.

Why buildings choose membrane facades

• Solar heat gain through the facade drops significantly, and the air conditioning feels it immediately
• The building gets a visual renewal without demolishing the old facade, so it stays operational during installation
• Membrane is light compared to other facade materials, so the added load on the existing structure is small
• The form, and its lighting at night, makes the building recognisable

How we approach it

A facade always starts from the building, not the material. We survey the solar orientation, structural condition, and available anchor points, then design the membrane pattern and its supporting frame. Fabrication happens in our workshop, and installation is sequenced to disturb building operations as little as possible. The whole structure is engineered for wind loads to the applicable standards, with our 10-year structural warranty.

Frequently asked questions

Will the interior go dark?

No. Mesh membrane still passes light and the view out. What drops is glare, which usually makes the spaces behind it more comfortable.

How is it cleaned at height?

Cleaning demand is low, because the membrane's surface coating resists grime. When needed, cleaning follows the building's existing maintenance access, such as a gondola.

What permits does a facade change need?

Facade changes generally touch local building approval processes. We prepare the structural documentation to support the application.

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