WHAT IS THE FIFTH FACADE?

Information platform for roofs

DE 5DE GEVEL


De Vijfde gevel (Dutch for the the fifth facade) is a platform for the exchange of information about roofs between professionals in architecture, building owners, academic organizations and contractors.

Knowledge is shared mainly through the various workshops that are being organized. Each workshop inspires participants to get more value from a roof. A variety of different topics are discussed, such as energy saving, sustainability, insulation, water drainage, BIM, green roofs and roof safety (an essential part of any roof design).

ACCREDITED WORKSHOPS


The Belgian Orde van Architecten (Association of Architects) acknowledges the workshops, which means that architects earn accreditation points. This way, building designers stay up to date with the latest innovations in the market.

KNOWLEDGE AND SOLUTIONS


De Vijfde gevel is an intiative by academics and a selected group of manufacturers, that supply different kinds of solutions for roofs. These suppliers, including XSPlatforms, equip roofs with the most innovative solutions of their kind.

Fall protection in construction specifications: example workshop by ‘de Vijfde gevel’


On the 20th of October, ‘de Vijfde gevel’ organized an evening workshop which was entirely dedicated to the contents of construction specifications. These can vary considerably from project to project, so there was plenty to talk about – including the importance, the stringency and the legal implications of specification texts. Over one hundred attendees joined the event, a good mix of established professionals and aspiring specialists.

Present on behalf of XSPlatforms was our sales manager, Olivier Bolle. For years, Olivier has been involved in the activities of de Vijfde gevel. XSPlatforms shares the vision that sensible investments in the roof of a building can bring added value to both its owner and its users.

Olivier personally took the time to explain the relevance of fall protection early on in the design process. “Building owners can benefit tremendously from a well-considered investment in a permanent fall protection solution on their roof. Our aim is to raise awareness about the relevance of fall protection in construction specifications.

Specification Texts

XSPlatforms creates innovative fall protection systems for people working at height. In order to provide a suitable solution that matches the architecture of a building, it is very important that fall protection is considered early on in the design process.

As a service to architects, XSPlaforms has a number of specifications on file, which can be used to include fall protection solutions in the design of a building. They can be found on this website under specifications.

De Vijfde Gevel

In addition to safety, the subjects covered by de Vijfde Gevel include design, energy saving, sustainability, isolation, drainage and many other things. This knowledge is shared both online (devijfdegevel.be, Dutch only) and in the numerous workshops that are organized. Exceptional roof designs are put in the spotlight, to serve as inspiration for others. Of course, topics such as BIM and the emergence of green roofs are frequently discussed as well.

THE DEMO ROOF


The demo roof is the result of a number of interesting cooperations between the different parties involved. The Partners of de Vijfde gevel have joined hands to build an innovative demo roof, using the knowledge and experience they share.

XSPlatforms has equipped the demo roof with a number of permanent fall protection solutions: guardrails, lifelines and anchor points.

This demo roof gives XSPlatforms the opportunity to offer architects a demonstration about the roofs of the future.

IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE?


XSPlatforms can assist with the description of fall protection in the specification of a project.

For advice about the best fall protection solution for a particular design, it’s best to contact us directly. Alternatively, you can download one of our fall protection brochures.

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