subject: Modern Architectural Glazing: The Future [print this page] Modern Architectural Glazing: The Future Modern Architectural Glazing: The Future
The signature of modern architecture is, undeniably, the impressive and beautiful grand glass structures that have become the modern horizon. These large impressive buildings can be, in themselves, rather environmentally friendly. Their glass structures means that they are well insulated, providing a greenhouse effect which means heat is retained in the cooler months and released during the summer months, which can result in a cost effective system for heating large buildings.
However, although large glass structures may be environmentally friendly in that can offer reasonable insulation properties; the material in itself is not "green". There seems to be an ever increasing move to eco homes', homes that are built primarily with the planet in mind. These homes use renewable materials such as straw bales for creating the homes structure as opposed to concrete or bricks and wooden beams to create the frames. This means that if this trend continues to increase over the coming decades, this could be the end of large architectural glazing structures and could change the future skyline completely.
Many architects believe that traditional building materials will, over the comings years, be replaced with their sustainable counterparts. A recent survey conducted by the European Architectural Barometer, surveyed over 1200 architects across Europe, and the findings showed that 31% of all architecects in the UK expect that there will be a drop in traditional building materials due to the increasing necessity for sustainable materials. INteretsingly, however, architects questions in France agreed, however a staggering 74% thougt this to be the case. 36% of architects thought, however, that this change will not come about in the near future, however we can deduct from this, more interestingly pergaps, 64% of architects believe that this turnabout will come relatively quickly.
Alongside of this, however, 51% of architects in the UK, thought that glass is currently one of the most sustainable materials. The change to structural glazing will come about if the move to construct homes that are 100% "green", however if the move is only a slight one and an increase of awareness as opposed to a change in mind set altogether, it seems unlikely that impressive architectural glazing will be replacing by more sustainable materials. Glass is in itself, does provide good levels of insulation and is recyclable, so if used properly, can provide an excellent methos of providing environmentally friendly, and also architecturally impressive buildings that will continue to shape the aesthetic landscape for the future.
