Visually Responsive Thermal Envelopes.

Latent Shift is a prototype of a high-performance and responsive daylighting panel embedded with phase change material [PCM].  PCM offers an opportunity to construct a thin and modular panel system with heat storage capacity comparative to masonry construction.  As PCM changes state from solid to liquid, it stores, absorbs and releases high quantities of latent heat while undergoing a small sensible heat gain. During this change, its material properties shift from clear transparency to translucent white.  PCM provides an opportunity to construct a visually responsive panel with a high daylight factor. Offering the potential to illuminate interior building environments with ample sunlight without increasing the building’s reliance on mechanical systems for heating and cooling, Latent Shift provides efficient thermal performance within a panel that provides diffused and desired daylight.  

In collaboration with Sneha Patel, Dr. Amy Fleischer, and Advanced Cooling Technologies.

Acknowledgements: Conducted through Temple and Villanova Universities, this research was funded in part by a grant from the Green Building Alliance in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership, an initiative funded in part by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and the Heinz Endowments.