flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Stanford researchers develop nanophotonic panel that reflects sun's heat out of the atmosphere

Stanford researchers develop nanophotonic panel that reflects sun's heat out of the atmosphere

While still in the conceptual stage, new material could be the future of highly reflective building envelopes.


By BD+C Staff | March 29, 2013

It sound like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a nanophotonic material that not only reflects sunlight and prevents heat from being absorbed, but it actually beams the thermal energy at a specific wavelength so that it leaves the earth's atmosphere.

A recent post on the Green Prophet blog details the discovery, which, if developed and implemented on a mass scale, would go along way toward improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

For instance, the Stanford research team, led by Shanhui Fan, professor of electrical engineering, said that by covering just 10% of a roof with the nanophotonic material would mitigate about a third of the building's cooling load, according Green Prophet.

(http://www.greenprophet.com/2013/03/nanophotic-building-panels-beam-sunlight-and-heat-into-cold-space/)

Related Stories

| Jan 7, 2015

4 audacious projects that could transform Houston

Converting the Astrodome to an urban farm and public park is one of the proposals on the table in Houston, according to news site Houston CultureMap.

| Jan 7, 2015

How you can help improve the way building information is shared

PDFs are the de facto format for digital construction documentation. Yet, there is no set standard for how to produce PDFs for a project, writes Skanska's Kyle Hughes.

Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2015

Best practices for urban infill development: Embrace the region's character, master the pedestrian experience

If an urban building isn’t grounded in the local region’s character, it will end up feeling generic and out-of-place. To do urban infill the right way, it’s essential to slow down and pay proper attention to the context of an urban environment, writes GS&P's Joe Bucher.

| Jan 6, 2015

Construction permits exceeded $2 billion in Minneapolis in 2014

Two major projects—a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings NFL team and the city’s Downtown East redevelopment—accounted for about half of the total worth of the permits issued. 

| Jan 6, 2015

Snøhetta unveils design proposal of the Barack Obama Presidential Center Library for the University of Hawaii

The plan by Snøhetta and WCIT Architecture features a building that appears square from the outside, but opens at one corner into a rounded courtyard with a pool, Dezeen reports.

| Jan 5, 2015

Another billionaire sports club owner plans to build a football stadium in Los Angeles

Kroenke Group is the latest in a series of high-profile investors that want to bring back pro football to the City of Lights.

| Jan 5, 2015

Beyond training: How locker rooms are becoming more like living rooms

Despite having common elements—lockers for personal gear and high-quality sound systems—the real challenge when designing locker rooms is creating a space that reflects the attitude of the team, writes SRG Partnership's Aaron Pleskac.

| Jan 2, 2015

Illustrations of classic architecture bring in the new year with style

New York-based designer Xinran Ma has illustrated a New Year's greeting card that assembles pieces of various brutalist and modernist architecture.

| Jan 2, 2015

Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014

Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.

| Dec 30, 2014

A simplified arena concept for NBA’s Warriors creates interest

The Golden State Warriors, currently the team with the best record in the National Basketball Association, looks like it could finally get a new arena.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




Museums

The Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a $110 million expansion

In Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a 77,904-sf Centennial Expansion project. The museum plans to reach its $110 million fundraising goal by late 2024 or early 2025 and then break ground. Designed by Weiss/Manfredi, and with construction manager The Beck Group, the expansion will redefine the museum’s surrounding site.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021