Architecture and engineering firm HOK has unveiled a curtain wall called 'circadian (biological clock)', a curved glass building façade that responds to the direction of sunlight and the 24-hour day cycle.

Imagine a building with an oval floor slab. Compared to a flat glass curtain wall, the "biological clock" curtain wall can provide much higher inherent strength and wind resistance, while providing more support with less aluminum mullions. Large bay window area, thereby transferring wind loads to the main structural frame.

There are additional benefits to the double layer design of the curtain wall, including higher levels of thermal and acoustic insulation and the potential effect of solar heat-absorbing walls, which allow the building to heat up or reduce cooling loads. The automatic shading effect (the cavity between the inner and outer layers of the curtain wall, which ensures cleanliness and is maintenance-free) reduces unnecessary glare and radiant heat when the sun is strong.

It is reported that the solar and heat model of the 30-story building shows that the "biological clock" curtain wall can reduce the building's energy use by 16%, the peak cooling load by 24%, and the peak heat load by 27%.