Performance-Based Façade Design 2026 will take place in Venice, Italy, from 16 to 18 September 2026. The fourth edition will open with the Seminar on Durable Façades and continue with the Workshop on Façade Serviceability: Failures and Lessons Learned. This year’s programme places long-term performance at the center of the conversation. It will examine how material science, technical innovation, climate realities, and operational demands shape façade strategies over time. Facade Today is proud to serve as media partner for the second year in a row. That continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to deeper technical dialogue, stronger knowledge exchange, and a more performance-driven façade culture.
A programme built around durable façades
PBFD 2026 opens with a seminar dedicated to façade durability. The agenda will investigate the longevity of building envelopes and the decisions that influence performance from design through operation. The event then moves into a workshop focused on façade serviceability, failures, and lessons learned. That structure gives the programme a useful balance between ambition and reality, linking design intent with what happens in practice.
The organisers have also confirmed a curated series of off-site activities. These visits aim to expose participants to craftsmanship, sustainable construction, and current façade innovation beyond the conference sessions.
PBFD 2026 keynotes and speakers
Leading voices and Industry experts
Six keynote speakers anchor the 2026 edition. Each brings a different perspective on performance, leadership, and long-term building value.
Silvia Prandelli – Senior Principal, Populous
Silvia Prandelli leads Populous’ Milan office and the practice’s work across Italy and Southern Europe. She has delivered major sports and cultural venues in Europe, the USA, the Middle East and Asia, always balancing architectural identity with performance and lifecycle thinking. With an engineering background and experience in academia and ESG committees, she brings a structured view on how durable façades support complex, high-intensity buildings over decades.
Astrid Piber – Partner, UNStudio
Astrid Piber is Partner and Senior Architect at UNStudio and a member of the firm’s global management team.
Since joining the practice in 1998, she has led large-scale mixed-use and transport projects in Europe and Asia, aligning design ambition with urban, social and business objectives.
Her keynote will connect façade performance with questions of density, inclusivity and future-proof city making.
Balázs Bognár – Partner and Executive Vice President, Kengo Kuma & Associates
Balázs Bognár is Partner and Executive Vice President at Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo, as well as President of the Japan chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He has worked closely with Kengo Kuma since 2007, leading international projects such as the Portland Japanese Garden Cultural Village, the Rolex Tower in Dallas and the Amanpuri Retail Pavilion in Phuket. His talk will explore how materiality, place and culture shape contemporary façades in different contexts.
Francesca Vagliani – Co‑Head of Development Italy, Covivio
Francesca Vagliani serves as Co‑Head of Development Italy at Covivio, where she oversees complex refurbishments and new-build projects, including The Sign and the L’Oréal Italia headquarters in Milan. With a background in engineering and architecture, she brings a developer’s perspective on durability, value and long-term performance. Her keynote “Built to Last” will compare deep refurbishment and new construction to show how façade decisions play out over the asset lifecycle.
Andrei Koshelev – Real Estate Management, ETH Zurich
Andrei Koshelev manages major construction projects for ETH Zurich’s real estate department, bridging the roles of client, architect and technical steward. His career includes large-scale work with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago and London, as well as practice in Zurich.
He will speak about façade performance in science and education buildings, high-rise labs and other demanding programmes, with a focus on long-term operational needs.
Massimo Colomban – Founder, Permasteelisa Group
Massimo Colomban founded ISA in 1973, the company that evolved into the Permasteelisa Group, now one of the world’s leading façade engineering and curtain wall contractors. Under his leadership, the group expanded internationally, including the acquisition of Permasteel Industries, known for the Sydney Opera House glass cladding. His keynote will trace how industrial innovation, entrepreneurship and project delivery shaped the modern façade industry and what durability means at that scale today.
The programme also features a diverse panel of speakers from leading engineering firms, research institutions, and specialist consultancies, who will share practical insights on façade durability, serviceability, testing, and real-world project delivery.
Greg Simmons – CEO, Insol
Shorena Gudzhabidze – Digital Product Manager, Staticus
Nebojsa Jakica – Associate Professor, University of Southern Denmark
Timothy Soebroto – Regional Director, Meinhardt Façade Technology
Triadi Bagus Gumilar – Senior Façade Engineer, Meinhardt Façade Technology
Michael Lacasse – Research Associate, Concordia University; former Construction Research Centre, NRC Canada
Tony Cinnamon – Associate Principal, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE)
Carl Knutson – Principal and Design Director, Perkins&Will
Vedran Skopac – Principal, Reimagine Architects; Adjunct Professor, University of Calgary (SAPL)
Giovanni (John) Diodati – Director, Giovanni Diodati Architecte
William MacDonald – Director – Façade Engineering, GL&SS (Glass Light and Special Structures)
Marco Biancospino – Associate, GL&SS
Matheus Albiani Dourado – Civil Engineer, Marcon Forensics
Angie Ogino – Technical Services Leader, Owens Corning Thermafiber
Brandon Andow – Principal and Facades Studio Practice Leader, HKS
John R. Medina – Founder / Principal / Owner, Miami Curtain Wall Consultants
Matthew Glanville – Founding Director, Cermak Peterka Petersen (CPP)
Niall O’Sullivan – Technical Director, Windtech Consultants
Gordon A. Shepperd – Managing Director, Secretariat
Noah Doukas – Senior Associate, Secretariat
Sarah B. Rentfro – Senior Project Manager, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)
Eric K. Olson – Principal, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)
Juste Tresor Gatari – Researcher in Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich
Amir Sabziparvar – Postdoctoral Researcher, National Research Council Canada; Part‑Time Professor, University of Ottawa
Camilla Vertua – PhD Candidate / Postdoctoral Researcher, Politecnico di Milano / TextileHUB, KULeuven collaboration
Guiding the agenda: façade experts and ASTM collaboration
The seminar and workshop are led by two recognised figures in façade engineering and building performance. Their leadership gives the programme unusual technical weight.
Mikkel K. Kragh, Associate Director at Arup, chairs the 2026 seminar. His background bridges consultancy, academia, and specialist façade engineering, with strong links to advanced envelope performance and building physics.
Daniel J. Lemieux, Director and Principal at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, co-chairs the workshop. He brings more than 30 years of experience in enclosure investigation, repair, testing, and forensic learning.
A central feature of PBFD 2026 is its close connection to standards and codification, and this is where ASTM’s role becomes especially significant. Daniel J. Lemieux chairs ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings, which connects the event directly to one of the most influential standardisation bodies in the field.
That link goes beyond presence on stage. ASTM International has confirmed its partnership with PBFD 2026, and contributors to the workshop will be invited to develop technical papers for a dedicated ASTM Selected Technical Papers (STP) publication.
This matters because PBFD does not stop at conference discussion. It aims to translate practice, failures, and research into documents that can support broader industry learning and future standardisation work.
Practical information
PBFD 2026 will take place in Venice, Italy, from 16 to 18 September 2026. The attendance is limited to 130 participants.
Early-bird registration is already open.
The event:
September 16 | 8:30 AM – 5:40 PM | Durable Façades – Seminar
September 17 | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Façade Serviceability: Failures and Lessons Learned – Workshop
Tickets:
. Early Rate (until June 1): €500.00 + €12.50 ticket service fee
. Regular Rate: €600.00 + €15.00 ticket service fee
Venue:
Campo Santa Margherita, Sestiere Dorsoduro, 3689, 30123 Campo Santa Margherita, Venezia VE, Italy
Grand Finale Networking Event at Wave Murano Glass:
September 17 | 7:30-10:30 PM
Tickets:
. Early Rate (until June 1): €280.00 + €7.00 ticket service fee
. Regular Rate: €320.00 + €8.00 ticket service fee
Venue: Wave Murano Glass
Off-site Activities:
September 18
(Separate booking required; limited availability)
9:30 AM – 5:40 PM | CastelBrando: Architecture, Landscape & Food and Wine Networking Experience
9:30 AM – 5:40 PM | CastelBrando: Spa, Landscape & Food and Wine Networking Experience
9:50 AM – 1:30 PM | Curated Off-Site Experience – Orsoni Furnace Tour & Venetian Food and Wine Networking
10:40 AM – 1:30 PM | Palazzina Masieri: Scarpa, Wright, “Reflections on Brancusi”, and Venetian Food and Wine Networking
11:50 AM – 3:30 PM | Curated Off-Site Experience – Orsoni Furnace Tour & Venetian Food and Wine Networking
12:30-3:30 PM | Palazzina Masieri: Scarpa, Wright, “Reflections on Brancusi”, and Venetian Food and Wine Networking
Tickets:
. Technical Visit and Networking: €170.00 + €4.25 ticket service fee
A meaningful gathering for the façade community
For façade engineers, consultants, architects, manufacturers, and building owners, PBFD 2026 promises a programme that goes well beyond image and intent. Venice will host a conversation about what façades must actually do over time, and how the sector can learn from both success and failure.
Facade Today is pleased to stand alongside Performance-Based Facade Design 2026 again as Media Partner. This second year of partnership reflects the same editorial conviction that guides the magazine: high-performance façades deserve a serious platform, rigorous discussion, and a strong international community.
As part of this partnership, Facade Today supports the event with editorial coverage, digital visibility, and content amplification. Through this, we are helping ideas travel further across the facade engineering and architecture community.
Are you organizing an event related to façade design, smart materials, sustainable construction, or architectural innovation?
Let’s talk! We’re always open to media partnerships that align with our editorial mission and bring value to our readers.
Reach out to us at editor@facadetoday.com
We’d love to hear about your event.
As the Editor of FacadeToday.com, I merge my passion for Design, Architecture and Technologies with three decade of experience collaborating with entrepreneurs across many industries. My career has centered on fostering innovation, scaling business opportunities, and bridging gaps between technical experts, business developers, and creative visionaries. I thrive at the intersection of sustainable solutions, material advancements, and smart technologies, curating insights on themes like energy-efficient facades, smart tech, and advanced manufacturing. With a commitment to lifelong learning, I aim to empower architects and facade engineers by translating innovations into actionable knowledge, driving the industry forward through purposeful connectivity and cutting-edge practices.
