Thermally Active Surfaces in Architecture /anglais - Hardcover

In the architecture profession's ongoing quest for sustainability, it is often the most fundamental practices that require rethinking. Thermally Active Surfaces in Architecture, the groundbreaking new study by 2009 Rome Prize-winning architect Kiel Moe, argues that water, with its higher density, is far better at capturing and channeling energy than air. By separating the heating and cooling of a building from its ventilation, the building's structure itself becomes the primary thermal system. This transformation of energy and building practices triggers a cascading set of possibilities for a building's health, structure, and durability. The first and only book of its kind, Thermally Active Surfaces in Architecture details ten contemporary case studies, from some of today's most innovative architects.

Departing from the simple question 'Why do we heat and cool buildings with air?', this book focuses on the technique of thermally active surfaces. The book contrasts the parallel histories of thermally active surfaces and air conditioning.