September 23, 2021 | Updated: June 8, 2023

Butech’s most sustainable façades in the USA and Canada

The PORCELANOSA Group firm consolidates its position in the American and Canadian markets thanks to its building envelope systems and energy efficiency solutions.

The growth of cities and the impact of climate change on our landscapes, plus its social and economic implications, have led us to rethink our current urban models, creating more efficient and sustainable buildings. Solutions under discussion in architecture forums, summits and conferences include near-zero energy passive homes (Passivhaus), solar panel insulation, the use of recycled materials (ceramics, glass and rubber), advanced technical solutions to improve acoustic insulation, prefabricated structures, and ventilated façade systems to reduce buildings’ energy consumption

Construction solutions to combat climate change

PORCELANOSA brand Butech specialises in the latter, designing building envelope solutions that improve thermal conditioning in homes by 25%. They achieve this by placing an air chamber between the building’s exterior envelope and the cladding. This limits moisture condensation, allowing the air to move around the exterior. Examples include the 3200 Washington Street housing block in Boston (USA) with an XLIGHT ventilated façade and The Prime, located in the New York’s iconic Queens neighbourhood. These structures were designed and monitored by the Facades USA technical department, headquartered in New York. There, the team assesses and analyses each project together with industry professionals.

These types of façades are also on the increase in Canada. The country has architectural and social policies in place to promote the green transformation of urban centres, driving the circular economy, energy self-sufficiency and local production. The trend can be seen in buildings such as St. Clair in Toronto (Canada), where a vertical façade made in XLIGHT porcelain soars skywards; and The Explanade, a residential complex built with XLIGHT and tempered glass.