All in one: A new electricity generating building component is being developed. Most modern buildings are composed of several layers of materials, each with its own important function: the concrete core supports its weight; the insulation regulates its heat exchange; the facade contributes to its aesthetics. Now, engineers at EPFL are developing a single building block that does all of that, and produces electricity. This new component will provide a sleek alternative to traditional construction materials, and will be lighter, safer, and more energy efficient. "We use a composite sandwich construction to make this multi-functional building element," explains Thomas Keller of the Composite Construction Laboratory (CCLab). The sandwich comprises a dense foam interior encased between layers of glass-fibre reinforced polymer. "We started working on these composite materials over 10 years ago and used them in 2009 for the roof of the Main Entrance Building at the Novartis Campus in Basel, Switzerland," he says.
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