Natural Harmony: Designing with Thermal Actuators

This article discusses prototype building and an experimental study of a novel building envelope-integrated system that responds to environmental conditions. The system includes thermal-actuating pistons, and the prototype was constructed using laser cutting, 3D printing, and metalworking. Its performance was evaluated using sensors, where loggers were used to monitor temperature in a skylight application. The results indicate that this system shows a promise for controlling ventilation, daylight, and heat gain in a semi-passive approach. There are applications for the holistic toolkit of Climate Adaptive Building Skins (CABS).

keywords: biomimicry, envelope, energy, comfort, passive systems