Paper and cardboard as sustainable building materials are currently the subject of research and testing. They can be produced inexpensively, are made from renewable raw materials and are completely recyclable. The focus of their application is on temporary uses, such as for transitional schools, emergency shelters or "microhomes". Properly protected from moisture and fire, the material proves to be durable. Design and aesthetic qualities are by no means neglected, as case studies by Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban demonstrate: the Chengdu Elementary School, the Paper Concert Hall in Aquila or the Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch all provided a sign of hope after devastating earthquakes. This introduction explains the technology of building with cardboard and paper and shows a wide range of examples.

The facade is the building's interface with its environment. It is here that building physics parameters such as heat, humidity, sound and light interact with the building. All these influences need to be controlled by the building envelope in order to ensure the comfort of the user and the functional performance of the architecture. This introduction explains the most important phenomena and then relates them to design and building practice - which materials react in which way to these factors? How do facade systems deal with heat, humidity, sound and light? This practice-oriented book, which is the result of cooperation between an architect and a structural engineer, describes the most important facade materials and constructions under the aspect of their building physics performance.

Paper and cardboard as sustainable building materials are currently the subject of research and testing in building practice. They can be produced inexpensively, are made from renewable raw materials and are completely recyclable. The focus of its application is for temporary uses, such as in transitional buildings for schools, emergency shelters or "microhomes". Properly protected from moisture and fire, the material proves to be strong and durable. Design and aesthetic qualities are by no means neglected, as case studies by Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban demonstrate: the Chengdu Elementary School, the Paper Concert Hall in Aquila or the Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch all provided a sign of hope after devastating earthquakes. This introduction explains the basics and the technology of building with cardboard and paper and shows a wide range of exciting examples.

The renovation of buildings past their prime can no longer be regarded as a necessary evil that costs money and causes inconvenience. Increasingly, it is being acknowledged that to renovate a building and its facade (or 'envelope') can has considerable advantages. Not only does it improve the quality of life and the performance, it can save energy and increase the building's market value. This makes renovation an interesting proposition for owners, users and architects alike. The facade research group at Delft University of Technology, working with the Dutch facade builders' association VMRG, carried out a three-year research project that yielded a number of basic requests, strategies and practical examples which it then developed together with several enlightened companies. "Reimagining the Envelope" reports on this exchange of ideas between science and practice. The result is a variety of strategies for renovating the envelope and examples of successful projects. It also presents a number of far-reaching design ideas.