NEWS

Thermal testing begins for the ZERAF facade prototype!
Thermal performance tests for the #ZERAF facade prototype have officially started at Eurac Research’s Multifunctional Facade Lab. This lab, located in Bolzano, Italy, is equipped with a double-chamber calorimeter with a guard ring, which is being used to recreate external and internal environments with controlled temperature, humidity, airspeed, and sunlight.
The tests on the ZERAF facade prototype focus on evaluating its stationary and dynamic thermal performance under various boundary and operational conditions. The results will play a key role in calibrating and validating predictive models to optimize the facade's performance.
👉 These and future tests are essential for refining and optimizing the #ZERAFfacade, ensuring its potential to transform sustainable building technologies. In fact, the ultimate aim of this project is to develop a facade concept designed to lower the carbon footprint of buildings in Europe.
ZERAF concept enables shifting the opaque building façade systems from being static thermal barriers to thermal modulators. The innovative configurations of façade technology, combined with the use of novel materials such as smart shape memory alloys, and next-generation bio-based polyurethane, enable dynamic thermal control.
This results in a strong reduction of heating and cooling energy demand, while minimizing the number of primary sources and embodied carbon.