Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed a system designed to regulate the temperature inside buildings in extreme climates.
The system, which can be installed in new or existing buildings, will mean a reduced demand for traditional systems such as air conditioning or heating, claims the university. Working in both extreme hot and cold conditions, it is also said to reduce the amount of energy consumed by using these traditional methods.
Amin Al-Habaibeh, inventor of the system and reader in advanced design and manufacturing technologies at the university, commented: 'There has always been an issue in regulating the temperature inside buildings in extreme climates, and current solutions have a number of problems associated with them, including being complex and require significant maintenance.
'This new method will reduce energy consumption and improve building temperature in these climates by utilising the consistency of the ground temperature, while maintaining the traditional look of the building.'
The system uses a conductive heat transfer between the ground and the envelope of the building by transferring the heat from the building to the ground in the summer and transferring the heat from the ground to the building in the winter.
Mr Al-Habaibeh added: 'This is a much more sustainable way of regulating building temperature and we're currently in talks with a number of UK companies to develop the technology and commercialise it internationally.'
