Performance-Based
Façade Design
22–24 Sept. 2027 | Venice, Italy
2027
Seminar and Workshop on
Value in Façades: More with Less
Off-site Activities & Grand Finale
22–24 Sept. 2027
Venice, Italy
Façade Promenade
Venice Art Kilometer
May–Nov. 2027
SEMINAR
Value in Façades: More with Less
PBFD 2027, the fifth edition, will take place in Venice from 22 to 24 September 2027. Every edition of PBFD follows a question the industry is asking. For 2027 the seminar and the workshop are organised around value: what a façade delivers, and what it takes to deliver it.
On the first day, 22 September, the Seminar takes the broad view of value in façades. Presentations and keynotes address what the building envelope delivers to owners, occupants and cities. We invite contributions on the economics of the envelope, including return on investment, life-cycle cost and the allocation of risk, as well as on value creation across design, procurement, construction and operation. Perspectives from developers, investors, insurers, contractors and regulators are as welcome as those from designers and engineers. The Seminar leads to the Springer Nature book PBFD: Value in Façades: speakers who wish to contribute develop a full chapter.
WORKSHOP
Value in Façades: More with Less
On the second day, 23 September, the Workshop is the technical counterpart: a working day for specialists, with keynotes and technical presentations that leave generous room for detailed discussion. The focus is on materials and on how choices in specification, testing and detailing can achieve more performance with less mass, carbon and cost. Test data, open technical questions and work in progress are encouraged. Selected contributions will be published in the new online workshop proceedings with ASTM International.
OFF-SITE ACTIVITIES
Grand Finale and technical visits
The Grand Finale takes place on the evening of 23 September, on an island in the Venetian lagoon to be revealed, and the third day, 24 September, is dedicated to technical visits to selected sites in and around Venice. A Welcome Reception opens the conference on the evening of 21 September, and the Advisors’ Dinner, by invitation only, takes place on the evening of 22 September.
PBFD 2027 is the fifth and last annual edition. From 2029, PBFD will be held every two years, in parallel with the Venice Architecture Biennale; the Façade Promenade 2027 is the first step.
9 NOVEMBER 2026 – 8 JANUARY 2027
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Contributions to PBFD 2027
Opens - 9 November 2026
Closes - 8 January 2027
The call for abstracts for PBFD 2027 is open to contributions for the Seminar (22 September) and the Workshop (23 September).
Route A - Open call for abstracts
All remaining speaker slots are assigned through peer review by the PBFD Advisory Group.
Route B - Sponsor presentations
The 20-minute presentation slots included in the Diamond, Emerald, Platinum, Gold and Silver packages and in the targeted sponsorship opportunities, curated by PBFD with the partners to fit the programme. This route remains open after the call for abstracts closes on 8 January 2027.