Acrylic microcapsules are filled with a paraffin wax that can absorb heat from buildings.
Building materials that absorb heat during the day and release it at night, eliminating the need for air-conditioning in some climates, will soon be on the market in the United States. The North Carolina company National Gypsum is testing drywall sheets–the plaster panels that make up the walls in most new buildings–containing capsules that absorb heat to passively cool a building. The capsules, made by chemical giant BASF, can be incorporated into a range of construction materials and are already found in some products in Europe.
Continue reading… “‘Melting’ Drywall Could Reduce The Need For Air Conditioning”
