Will focus on sustainable and energy-efficient building design

The Architectural Congress, themed Appearances + Perspectives, will take place on October 24, as part of Glasstec 2012 – the international fair for the glass sector, being held from October 23 to 26 at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center, Germany. Announcing this, the organisers said that the Architectural Congress marks the fourth time that architects, structural and air conditioning engineers as well as façade designers will get together, in what has become a fixed component in the supporting programme of the international trade fair.

The Congress attracts a large number of architects and building designers, thanks to its comprehensive range of glass products for architectural purposes, the organisers claimed.

The focus of the event, they said, is on issues concerning the design of buildings against the backdrop of the current sustainability and energy consumption discussion, as well as on consideration of the future value of aesthetics with regards to buildings.

The Congress, sponsored by the Chamber of Architects of North Rhine-Westphalia (AKNW), the Technical University of Delft and Ostwestfalen-Lippe University, is slated to have renowned presenters who will introduce their projects concerning creative use of glass in the building shell, the organisers added.

Professor Ulrich Knaack, Technical University Delft/ Ostwestfalen-Lippe University, who will be the moderator during the Congress, said: “With a view to sustainable construction, glass is a very important material, and this applies not only to the energy balance of a building. Technological progress opens up to architects and designers more and more opportunities for creative and aesthetic use of this material.”

The Congress organisers revealed that the conference language is either German or English, with simultaneous interpretation being offered in the respective other language, and that tickets costing € 49 and are available online at www.glasstec.de, and include two-day admission to glasstec/solarpeq 2012.