Building the walls of buildings in a zigzag pattern could help cool them down, according to new research from Columbia University in New York. The study led by Qilong Cheng aims to reduce the energy consumption of buildings, which are currently responsible for about 40% of the energy used worldwide and often generate power outages, even in Italian cities, due to excessive demand for electricity. Much of this energy comes from the use of air conditioning and, according to the most recent forecasts, this share could double in the next 50 years due to rising global temperatures and the increased diffusion of air conditioners where they are still rare. A prospect that requires studying cooling solutions that are not based on energy consumption.
Zigzag walls reflect infrared rays
It is not uncommon for the study of traditional architecture in hot spots to reveal solutions that have not been considered until now. But in some cases, such as the one predicted in the research reviewed by the TutorShapes that are not currently adopted can often prove advantageous. The zigzag shape helps lower the temperature by reflecting infrared rays from sunlight hitting the building. Due to their long wavelength, these do not remain in the Earth's atmosphere after being reflected, but instead travel into space. In doing so, the surface temperature of the wall can be lowered by three degrees compared to a flat wall. However, implementing this shape presents challenges that could increase the energy demand of buildings in cold countries during the winter. For this reason, Cheng and his team came up with a lamellar structure, which can be closed if necessary.
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