The Google Bay View campus, in California, took the award for international new build
The Façade 2023 Design and Engineering Awards highlighted groundbreaking projects that focused on innovation, carbon savings, and refurbishment. Organised by the Society of Façade Engineering (SFE) and CIBSE, the awards sponsored by Reynaers, recognise excellence and achievements in façade engineering.
The winners shared a common goal of designing high-performing buildings with energy savings and consideration of whole-life and embodied carbon.
The UK Project of the Year winners were: The Parcels Building and Arup for sustainability; Battersea Power Station and seele for refurbishment; WilkinsonEyre and Buro Happold for new build; and Paddington Square and WSP for innovation.
In the international categories, the winners were: Beeah Headquarters and Buro Happold for sustainability; Luxottica Digital Factory and Deerns Italia for refurbishment; Google Bay View Campus and Arup for new build; and Google Mass Timber 1 and Eckersley O’Callaghan for innovation.
The iconic Battersea Power Station renovation was recognised for the enormous undertaking to transform the brick landmark, which included the reuse of existing strucks, saving over more than 36,000 tonnes of CO2e of legacy carbon.
The Black and White Building in London’s Shoreditch area was recognised for its full-timber construction, which has an A+ rating against the LETI criteria. The façade’s timber system was calculated as having embodied carbon 40% lower than an equivalent aluminium system.
Exceptional design and performance were also seen among the international winners. The Beeah Headquarters in Sharjah’s Al Sajaa desert, United Arab Emirates, achieved Breeam Outstanding and Leed Platinum.
The Google Bay View Campus, in California, features curved bays clad with dragonscale photovoltaic shingles that supply roughly 40% of the building’s annual energy needs, and has achieved Leed Platinum certification.
Chris Macey, chair of the awards judges, said: ‘The engineering innovations on display within these winning projects, together with the skills and talent of those involved, are testament to the essential contribution façade engineering plays to final building performance and outcome.’
Product of the Year – UK went to AGC Europe, for Fineo, a coating-on-demand service that allows engineers to develop tailored coated glass products for façades and windows.
Voltin took the International Product award for its digital assessment system of a building exterior capable of detecting building defects. Rocco Boselli, from Eckersley O’Callaghan, was named Young Façade Engineer of the Year, beating 12 others to the title.
A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Dr Bill Wolmuth for his outstanding contribution to the façade industry, while Chris Aspinal, vice-chair of the SFE was awarded a presidential commendation from CIBSE President Adrian Catchpole.
The awards took place on 8 November, at the Hilton Park Lane, London.
● Visit: www.cibse.org/what-s-on/facade-2023-design-and-engineering-awards