Ventilated façades made of ceramic materials increase the energy efficiency of a building by 35%, thereby reducing the energy consumption needed to heat and cool rooms. This results in lower utility bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Ventilated façades create comfort

In Europe, housing is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Ventilated façades reduce these values because they prevent heat from escaping in winter and entering in summer, reducing the use of heating and cooling systems and ensuring a comfortable climate inside the building.

Porcelain stoneware is an ideal material for use on a building envelope because it is unaffected by temperature changes, weathering, aggressive chemical agents and pollutants. Ceramic surfaces also offer enormous aesthetic and design potential because they are able to simulate the appearance of materials such as stone, marble and wood, reproducing colours and textures with a high degree of precision.

The design of ventilated façades

Ventilated façades are designed to create a physical gap between the external and internal walls in the form of a thin cavity through which air can flow naturally, resulting in the well-known “stack effect”. This significantly reduces the presence of thermal bridges as the main routes for heat loss. The temperature gradient between the air in the cavity and the outside environment triggers an upward movement of air, which in turn removes water vapour from inside the rooms and improves the breathability of the building.

Italian ceramic tile manufacturers make products suitable for ventilated façades which can be applied to any material on both existing and new buildings using dry fixing techniques. Ceramic tiles are one of the best solutions for ventilated façades because they are hard-wearing and have a lifetime of more than 50 years.

Green Building rating points

Green building is an approach that involves constructing buildings in accordance with sustainability criteria. Environmental certifications and the use of sustainable products earn green rating points for a construction project. Italian ceramic ventilated façades may also improve the building’s rating given the material’s sustainability and energy benefits.