From using space as a heat sink to phase-changing inks, researchers are discovering advanced techniques to cool buildings at no cost. While effective, it is estimated that up to 12 percent of all energy consumed in buildings in the United States results from this cooling strategy. However, there are ways to achieve a similar result for absolutely free. Let us introduce you to the principle of passive cooling.
Passive cooling is the principle of using certain design choices to help reduce heat gain (or promote heat loss) from a building. In its purest form, the strategy or design choice must be “automatic” and not require any energy input after installation. While it might sound like science fiction, passive cooling is a very ancient and well-known practice. However, rising energy costs and awareness of the potential environmental cost of excessive energy consumption from non-renewable power sources have refocused minds on ways to cool for free