ASHRAE Journal - June 2019 - 12

INDUSTRY NEWS

interior. The window system reduces
energy use, especially air-conditioning, by between 28-42%.
The windows do not use energy,
including motors, controls or
computer chips. Instead, the sun's
radiation influences the motion. The
smart windows could reduce the size
of HVAC systems needed to condition large buildings. If the windows
were installed in a 12-story building,

Insulating Buildings
With Waste
THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH

Waste materials could be used as insulation materials.

wall panels that contain one of the
materials.
As the United Kingdom's construction industry is tasked with reducing
its greenhouse gas emissions by half
by 2025, the researchers are hoping
using already existing waste materials or co-products can slash construction emissions and reduce the
dependency on natural resources.

Retrofitting Systems for Renewable Energy
KARLSRUHE, GERMANY- Researchers are

proposing retrofitting air-conditioning units as integrated, scalable and
renewable-powered devices capable
of decentralized CO2 conversion and
energy democratization. Adapting air conditioning systems to be
able to capture and convert carbon
dioxide and water into renewable
hydrocarbon fuels can create oil
wells. The oil wells can be tapped,
shared and stored, with the option
for the property owner to receive
12

ASHRAE JOURNAL

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air-conditioning would decrease by
15%, which would save 360 metric
tons of carbon dioxide.

Using Algae for
Heating, Cooling

BATH, ENGLAND-The University of Bath

is testing waste materials to see if
their thermal performance can let
them be potential materials for
insulating buildings. Researchers from England and France are
investigating a range of waste materials and bio-based co-products'
performances as alternative building insulation materials. Materials being evaluated include wheat
straw bales, rapeseed stalks and
recycled duvets. The research team
is comparing the thermal performance of each material by constructing three identical prototype

The smart materials could change how buildings are
constructed and reduce the industry's carbon footprint.

payment for any excess fed into a
renewable oil grid.
This method could reduce the
carbon dioxide load emitted into
the atmosphere while safely storing renewable electrical energy
and heat as high-energy-density
chemical fuel. Using distributed oil
well technology could contribute to
the practical realization of chemical fuels from carbon dioxide as
feedstock in a circular sustainable
future.

J U N E 2 0 19

SYDNEY-Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney
are working on a technology for
green buildings-algae
building
technology.
A building
BIQ building in Germany
in Germany The
uses algae façade panels.
has algae
façade panels that produce solar
thermal energy.
The panels, called photo bioreactors, produce solar thermal
energy where the algae grow in
water. Heat exchangers then
extract and store the solar thermal energy below ground in a
central plant. The plant heats a
separate supply of water for use
within the building.
The biomass created in the
panels is harvested every three to
four weeks and then is converted,
off-site or on-site, to biofuel,
which produces energy for heating and cooling and building
services. The biofuel is used for
hydronic heating and for hot
water throughout the year.

THE FIFTH ESTATE

LOS ANGELES-A University of Southern
California researcher and professor has developed several smart
building material prototypes that
act as skins. The responsive window
system contains suspended thermobimetals that react to sunlight by
turning at different angles. They can
flip upside-down to block out the
sunlight or let more in. This naturally heats or cools the building's

SCOTT VARLEY, DAILY BREEZE/SCNG

Window Skins Heat, Cool Buildings

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ASHRAE Journal - June 2019

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