This monograph presents the latest research developments of innovative
building envelope systems. These systems have the ability to allow
building structures to be responsive to changes in outdoor conditions
to ensure comfortable indoor environment and acceptable indoor air
quality at higher energy efficiency compared to conventional systems.
In particular, the monograph overviews the basic operation principles
and thermal performance of four technologies described in three chapters:
(i) dynamic insulation materials that can change its thermal properties
in order to better adapt the building envelope with its outdoor
environment and reduce building heating and cooling thermal loads,
(ii) variable reflectance coatings for application on roofs to lower and
even eliminate the energy penalties associated with reduced solar heat
gains during heating operation of buildings, (iii) single layer breathing
walls to recover energy wasted from heat transmission inside the
walls and provide air ventilation to indoor spaces, and (iv) multi-layer
living walls to apply biomimetric principles and phase-change materials
to adapt building envelope properties with the changing outdoor
conditions.