Innovate Composite Smart Materials for Heating,Cooling and Humidity Control in Buildings“THEMAC”

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The project will develop an energy efficient system for heating and cooling buildings using an innovative, smart, composite material (THEMAC) and will be more efficient than conventional technology thus reducing carbon emissions. The THEMAC project will develop a new class of smart materials for building interiors to reduce energy consumption/CO2 emissions. Uniquely, THEMAC will provide a “total comfort” solution by controlling both temperature and humidity, in contrast to improved insulation and heat storage materials introduced in recent years that only address heat losses/gains. Furthermore, THEMAC materials will passively respond to occupancy and diurnal/seasonal changes. A key technical challenge is matching the properties and relative proportions of the PCM and wSAP components to achieve the required performances for differing building types and climates. A family of THEMAC materials is envisaged for various combinations of hot/cold/humid/dry conditions. Coupling THEMAC with a hybrid solar/air heat pump is especially attractive as it has a higher performance than conventional air/air source heat pumps. THEMAC will allow humidity control in residential/commercial systems, as well as in larger buildings using a passive SAP technique.