Far from being just a simple outer wall or decorative element, the building envelope, or facade, determines a building'sstructural stability, climate control, and degree of energy performance. There is an urgent need for architects and alliedprofessionals to gain a greater understanding of how materials and technologies can be applied to meet both aesthetic and performance requirements.

Building Envelopes , the newest volume in our Architecture Briefs series, is a process-based toolkit for both practitioners and academics that advocates designing building envelopes in an integrated way, where appearance, use, context, energy performance, structure, and cost are inseparable and considered in tandem. Featuring clear texts, original diagrams and sketches, and striking photographs, Building Envelopes illustrates how students and practitioners can bring elements like these together to create cost- and energy-effective, yet aesthetically pleasing, facades.