An interdisciplinary team of faculty members has been awarded $1,335,074 from the California Energy Commission to conduct research on zero-net energy building construction. The researchers include (shown in photo, clockwise from upper left) Professor Murray Milne of the Department of Architecture and Urban Design in the School of the Arts and Architecture; Professor Robin Liggett, also of Architecture and Urban Design as well as the Department of Urban Planning in the Luskin School of Public Affairs; Assistant Professor Gaurav Sant, Rice Endowed Chair in Materials Science in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science; and Professor Laurent Pilon in the engineering school's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
The research will explore new phase-change materials to store thermal energy in walls, and will also develop associated software tools. In phase-change materials, heat is absorbed or released when the materials change from solid to liquid states, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for heating and cooling in some buildings.
The research will explore new phase-change materials to store thermal energy in walls, and will also develop associated software tools. In phase-change materials, heat is absorbed or released when the materials change from solid to liquid states, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for heating and cooling in some buildings.
