ZERAF

Innovative materials for adaptive building facades for enhanced occupant comfort and sustainability.

Building facades are a critical element of building design. Beyond aesthetics, they are the interface between the indoor and outdoor environment. Controlling heat gain and loss, and allowing for natural light and ventilation, building facades have a significant impact on occupant health and wellbeing. The EU-funded ZERAF project will propose a new approach. By using novel materials, including smart shape memory alloys and bio-based polyurethanes, and taking inspiration from industries such as aerospace, biomedicine and nanomaterials, ZERAF aims to create an adaptive opaque facade that can control heat transfer mechanisms to a significant degree. The project will manufacture prototypes and subject them to rigorous testing, while also quantifying sustainability parameters throughout the building lifecycle.