Lightning protection of tall buildings with glass façade architecture

In the recent times, many buildings have been constructed using glass facade architecture with metallic grid support. For buildings with glass-facade, the lightning current path may flow through the metallic grid of the facade rather than the structural reinforcement depending on the architectural design. This, therefore results in the metallic grid of the glass-facade being subject to the full lightning current. Integration of the Lightning Protection System (LPS) with the building facade will ensure safety. This paper reports the findings of the early stage research conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the present implementation of the BS EN Standard on Lightning Protection System for tall buildings with glass facade architecture. The results show that the current lightning protection system used in tall buildings with glass facade do not protect the metallic frames of the glass facade as they are not continuously bonded to earth nor designed to carry lightning current. There is the need to develop a comprehensive lightning protection system for tall buildings with glass facade architecture.