Contemporary Urban Facades: The Impact of the Spread of Black Glass Facades in Benghazi City

Abstract

This paper aims to study the phenomenon of black glass facades in Benghazi, especially in the absence of local legislation. This study fills a gap in local research linking the impact of these facades on energy efficiency, architectural identity, and thermal comfort in hot and humid climates. The results indicate that black facades significantly increase energy consumption and contribute to the exacerbation of the heat island problem and the loss of the city's architectural identity. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach and included a questionnaire on a sample of (59) respondents, including experts, pioneers, and users of buildings with black glass facades in Benghazi. The results showed remarkable agreement among the participants, with (77.8%) agreeing on the negative effects of these facades, emphasizing the need for environmental, architectural, and planning legislation to regulate the use of these facades