Switchable Kirigami Structures as Window Envelopes for Energy-Efficient Buildings
Hanzhi Yin,
Xishu Zhou,
Zhengui Zhou,
Rong Liu,
Xiwei Mo,
Zewen Chen,
Erqi Yang,
Zhen Huang,
Hao Li,
Hao Wu,
Jun Zhou,
Yi Long,
Bin Hu
Affiliations
Hanzhi Yin
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Xishu Zhou
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Zhengui Zhou
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Rong Liu
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Xiwei Mo
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Zewen Chen
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Erqi Yang
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Zhen Huang
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Hao Li
School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Hao Wu
School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Jun Zhou
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Yi Long
Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China.
Bin Hu
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China.
Efficient regulation of thermal radiation is an effective way to conserve energy consumption of buildings. Because windows are the least energy-efficient part of buildings, their thermal radiation regulation is highly demanded, especially in the changing environment, but is still a challenge. Here, by employing a kirigami structure, we design a variable-angle thermal reflector as a transparent envelope of windows for their thermal radiation modulation. The envelope can be easily switched between heating and cooling modes by loading different pre-stresses, which endow the envelope windows with the ability of temperature regulation, and the interior temperature of a building model can be reduced by ~3.3 °C under cooling mode and increased by ~3.9 °C under heating mode in the outdoor test. The improved thermal management of windows by the adaptive envelope provides an extra heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning energy savings percentage of 13% to 29% per year for buildings located in different climate zones around the world, making the kirigami envelope windows a promising way for energy-saving utilization.
