Self-Cooling Walls Take Climate Control Off the Grid

With anticipated rising global temperatures, the need to cool our homes will take a massive toll on our electrical grid, which a team of masters students aims to address with their new wall insulation.

1 minute read

November 11, 2014, 11:00 AM PST

By Maayan Dembo @DJ_Mayjahn


According to Adele Peters of Co. Exist, "[as] climate change makes summer heat more unbearable and incomes rise in developing nations, the world will be using a lot more air conditioning—30 times as much by the end of the century, according to one prediction. Ironically, all of that A/C also makes climate change worse. In the U.S. alone, people already use nearly 200 billion kilowatt hours of electricity for cooling each year, and countries like India and China will soon dwarf that."

A team of masters students at the Institute for Advance Architecture of Catalonia, Spain have developed a new self-cooling wall technology to address this issue. The net zero electricity system "uses a material called hydrogel that swells to 400 times its size when placed in water. In hot weather, the hydrogel slowly begins to evaporate, cooling the indoor air by about 9 or 10 degrees. The designers incorporated the hydrogel into a new composite called 'hydroceramic,' which sandwiches the gel between layers of clay and fabric to create walls that maximize the effect."

The material is nearly market-ready, and can save up to 28 percent of the energy used by air conditioning, although the article notes a lack of information on the energy required to manufacture the material.

http://vimeo.com/98955269

Thursday, October 16, 2014 in Fast Co.Exist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today