My first Publication Arup_BuildingDesign2020_v2 | Page 16

Phase Change Materials store and release waste heat when changing state from liquid to solid at certain temperatures; used extensively to enhance the performance of automotive batteries, the technology has significant implications for the AEC industry. PCMs are used throughout the building industry for effective passive reduction of heating and cooling loads. Their ductile and reconfigurable nature make them a natural fit for building design applications, allowing designers to create structures where waste heat management is built into the fundamental elements of a design. PCM technology is starting to appear in a number of products marketed to the AEC industry, among them BioPCM mats, GlassX glazing, and ThermalCORE drywall. Location / Business: Oberhausen, Germany. Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT for commercial use. One area of particular innovation is façade design, where electrochromic and thermochromic glass, building-integrated photovoltaics and specialised coatings are enabling innovative solutions for the generation, storage and transfer of energy. The growing prevalence of microelectronics and synthetic composites indicates a shift in the way the industry conceives of materials and their function; increasingly, ‘materials’ are highly complex systems of miniaturised or responsive elements, functioning at ever smaller scales and with an ever- increasing degree of seamlessness. 16 Case Study: Low Emissivity Insulation Case Study: Phase Change Materials from Automotive Industry Aerogels are a synthetic porous material which replace the liquid components of a gel with an inert gas. The resulting solid, 96% air, is among the lightest, most soundproof, least thermally conductive materials in existence. Windows present a problem for building designers; they provide critical natural light but can be the weak link with regards to heat loss, solar gain and acoustics. Aerogel- insulated glazing could be a transformative technology for building design, allowing unprecedented façade and window arrangements and significant improvements in emissions control. Location / Business: Richmond, CA. Thermalux for commercial use. Processes and technologies from other industries continue to drive innovation in building design. One example is phase-change material, first developed for the automotive industry, which stands to revolutionise thermal energy handling in buildings. As ‘smart’ technologies become ubiquitous, data-driven intelligence and high physical performance will align in the development of increasingly connected, information-rich, and efficient materials. Building Design 2020 17