Welcome to the first edition of the IDS Report on Sustainable Façades; a presentation of scientific and academic work relevant to the design, construction, and performance of façades, as well as their overall relationship with people inside and outside of buildings. The initiative to produce this report is driven by the fact that scientific staff and students within the Detmold School of Design (former School of Architecture and Interior Architecture) of TH OWL conduct research and design projects every semester that is relevant to the advancement of façade technologies, fundamental to make progress towards healthier cities and sustainable development worldwide.

Although the theme of this document is centered on building envelopes, as it has been conceived within the Institute for Design Strategies (IDS) and the Façade Design specialization of the Master of Integrated Design (MID-FD), opportunities to contribute are not exclusive for members of the IDS and the MID-FD. Recognizing the importance of façades as integral components of every building and urban environment, we extend a warm invitation to fellow members of our university network, such as the Computational Design program (MID-CD), Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering,
and beyond. Through this report, we aspire to encourage collaboration, dialogue, and critical thinking among our diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

This report is envisioned as a collection of insightful articles as well as a platform where innovative ideas can be expressed, serving as a stepstone for fostering a stronger scientific mindset within our university community.
Certainly, this first edition is more than a compilation of the progress done during the Summer Semester 2023, but it is also an exploration of a new channel for knowledge transfer, which we look forward to refining over time. Our commitment is guided not only by the principles of sustainable architecture and circularity, but also by the application of scientific methods to promote innovation and best practice in the construction industry. We invite our readers to look into our report and hopefully find inspiration.