Professor Ajla Aksamija will deliver a keynote address “Facade Retrofits: Design Methods for Improving Facade Performance of Existing Buildings” at the Facade Tectonics Institute’s Vitruvian Honors & Awards Ceremony in New York City on September 18, 2025. The ceremony will be held at the Center for Architecture. This global awards program celebrates excellence and innovation in the design and delivery of building facades. The program recognizes outstanding projects, project teams, and individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the design, engineering, fabrication, installation, and lifecycle performance of building envelopes.
Prof. Aksamija will discuss design methods for high-performance facade retrofits and the necessary steps to ensure that environmental factors and energy-efficiency strategies are integrated into the design process. The facade is one of the most significant contributors to the energy budget and the comfort parameters of any building. High-performance facades use the least possible amount of energy to maintain a comfortable interior environment. The first part of the presentation will focus on design methods for high-performance facades. The second part of the presentation will discuss strategies for high-performance facade retrofits of existing buildings, including various case studies (residential, mixed-use, and higher-education buildings).