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See detailEmbedding intelligence in materials for responsive built environment: A topical review on Liquid Crystal Elastomer actuators and sensors
Schwartz, Mathew; Lagerwall, Jan UL

in Building and Environment (2022), 226

Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) are an exciting category of material that has tremendous application potential across a variety of fields, owing to their unique properties that enable both sensing and ... [more ▼]

Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) are an exciting category of material that has tremendous application potential across a variety of fields, owing to their unique properties that enable both sensing and actuation. To some, LCEs are simply another type of Shape Memory Polymer, while to others they are an interesting on-going scientific experiment. In this visionary article, we bring an interdisciplinary discussion around creative and impactful ways that LCEs can be applied in the Built Environment to support kinematic and kinetic buildings and situational awareness. We focus particularly on the autonomy made possible by using LCEs, potentially removing needs for motors, wiring and tubing, and even enabling fully independent operation in response to natural environment variations, requiring no power sources. To illustrate the potential, we propose a number of concrete application scenarios where LCEs could offer innovative solutions to problems of great societal importance, such as autonomous active ventilation, heliotropic solar panel systems which can also remove snow or sand autonomously, and invisible coatings with strain mapping functionality, alerting residents in case of dangerous (static or dynamic) loads on roofs or windows, as well as assisting building safety inspection teams after earthquakes. [less ▲]

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See detailA semi-centralized, valveless and demand controlled ventilation system in comparison to other concepts in field tests
Merzkirch, Alexander UL; Maas, Stefan UL; Scholzen, Frank UL et al

in Building and Environment (2015), 93(21-26),

The idea of adapting the air supply rate to the actual demand in a building is not a new one. In commercial buildings it is already state-of-the-art to establish a demand controlled ventilation, where the ... [more ▼]

The idea of adapting the air supply rate to the actual demand in a building is not a new one. In commercial buildings it is already state-of-the-art to establish a demand controlled ventilation, where the level of air ow is based on sensors or time control. In residential buildings however, mechanical ventilation systems, whether centralized or decentralized, are in most cases operated in a constant modus, providing fresh air regardless if the fresh air is needed or not, even though the technology and the components needed for demand controlled ventilation exist and can be purchased at reasonable prices. In this article, results of eld tests with a semi-centralized demand feedback-controlled ventilation system are shown and compared to outcomes with other demand controlled systems. The semi-centralized prototype includes decentralized fans per ventilation zone, making a room-wise ventilation possible and valves to balance the system hydraulically unnecessary. It is shown that each presented concept of demand controlled ventilation can save energy by decreasing the operational time or the mean airflow rate without compromising air quality. Concepts which make a zone- or even a room-wise control of air ow possible, showed the highest energy saving potential of up to two-thirds compared to a system operating at constant flow rates. In addition to the energy savings due to decreased operational time, the maintenance and lter costs are decreased while the user comfort is increased, as natural ventilation in spring, summer and autumn may easily be added when delta T between inside and outside is small. [less ▲]

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