Anatomy of resilience
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GREENED ENVELOPES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
They refresh the air, improve thermal comfort, and help with water management. By incorporating plants into the building and its surroundings, they strengthen the site’s resilience to climate hazards.
Exemple: Greening roofs
Creating a greened roof is an effective way to enhance a building’s resilience to extreme heat and heavy rainfall. By covering the roof with a substrate and vegetation, thermal comfort is improved naturally, reducing temperature variations by up to 40% while significantly reducing air-conditioning requirements in summer. Greening also protects the waterproofing membrane by shielding it from UV rays and temperature fluctuations, thus extending its lifespan. During rainy periods, a green roof absorbs some of the water, limiting runoff and relieving pressure on drainage systems.
REINFORCED PROTECTION SYSTEMS
They enable the building to better withstand extreme weather events. By reinforcing the envelope and its assemblies, they limit damage and ensure continued performance under severe conditions.
Exemple: Strengthening the building envelope
When faced with extreme winds, storms, or fires, the building’s resilience relies on reinforced protection systems incorporated into the envelope. In a resilient building, façades, glazing, and roofs are designed to withstand impacts, high pressures, and the effects of fire, using specially designed assemblies and fasteners. These systems not only contribute to occupant safety during extreme events, but also to the building’s durability, continuity of performance, and reduced costs throughout its life cycle.
HEAT-REFLECTIVE AND RAINWATER-PERMEABLE SURFACES
They limit heat gain in buildings and facilitate rainwater management. They help reduce the heat island effect while limiting runoff during heavy rains.
Exemple: Using the albedo effect
Choosing wall and roof coverings with high albedo (highly reflective surfaces) is becoming essential in the face of increasingly intense heatwaves. By reflecting a large part of the sun’s rays, these materials limit the heating of walls and reduce indoor temperatures by several degrees, thus improving thermal comfort. The use of light colors or reflective roofing, such as “cool roofs”: reflective elastomer or polyurea membranes, reflective coatings, and light-colored gravel.
SOLAR PROTECTION SYSTEMS
They are designed to limit solar heat gain while preserving natural light. They help improve comfort in summer and reduce air-conditioning requirements. They are mainly used on glazed surfaces of the building envelope and on outdoor living spaces such as roofs, terraces, and outdoor areas.
Exemple: Opting for solar control glazing
The use of selective solar control glazing helps to limit overheating while preserving natural light and the view from the window. A true passive and durable thermal shield, this glazing can be supplemented with additional sun protection (blinds, sunshades). It also provides good thermal insulation in winter, contributing to energy efficiency and occupant comfort all year round. Advanced technologies, such as thermochromic, electrochromic, or photochromic glass, also allow for dynamic adjustment of light transmission and solar gain depending on the weather conditions.
THERMAL ENVELOPE SYSTEMS
A key lever for limiting the effects of heatwaves. By reducing heat gain and improving the thermal inertia of the building, they help stabilize indoor temperatures and reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
Exemple: Improving insulation
Improving the insulation and inertia of opaque walls provides better protection for the building against extreme heat while stabilizing the indoor temperature. Effective insulation limits heat gain in summer, while high thermal inertia slows down temperature fluctuations and enhances comfort. External insulation is often preferred, as it eliminates thermal bridges and increases the capacity of walls to store and then release heat.