Hardware Podcasts

211. Cooling Buildings With Porous Plastic Sheets

The Next Byte Podcast · 18 Feb 2025 · 19m

What this episode covers

The hosts discuss research from Penn State led by Professor Oklish Lakakia on porous polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheets that cool buildings via radiative cooling. They explain how the material reflects 96% of visible and infrared light and emits heat into space, reducing interior temperatures by approximately 14°F in tests. The conversation covers the environmental benefits of lowering HVAC energy demand, the manufacturing process using selective laser fusing, and concerns regarding plastic degradation and microplastics.

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Penn State, Sky Cool Technologies, Formlabs
Materials
PMMA
Also
Oklish Lakakia

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