HOW IT WORKS
From Static Envelope
to Active Building Component
Traditional façades and roofs are designed once and then fixed forever. They either insulate or they don’t.
This is regardless of season, time of day, occupant’s preference or internal conditions. ZERAF changes this logic.
Façades and roofs become smart layers of the building, capable of modifying its behaviour throughout the day and across seasons. They can limit heat losses when insulation is needed or promote heat dissipation when internal gains and overheating become an issue.
For the building owner, this means:
More stable indoor conditions
Reduced reliance on mechanical systems during critical periods
Better control over how the building responds to real conditions
How It works
Our revolutionary solution
OUTDOOR
1
Kinetic coating
Closed-loop active insulation system
3
High solar-absorption coating
2
A small fan forcing air movement in the close-loop
4
The innovative facade system consists of:
- A kinetic coating that regulates solar heat gain
- A high solar-absorption coating to capture solar heat gain when needed
- A closed-loop active insulation system
- A small fan forcing air movement in the close-loop
This system operates autonomously thanks to a control logic that determines how to regulate heat exchange, minimizing or maximizing it as needed.
CROSS-SECTION
FRONT VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE
How ZERAF Improves Building Performance
ZERAF adapts the façade’s response to three key physical processes:
PHYSICAL PROCESSES
01
Solar exposure
managing how much solar energy reaches the facade
02
Heat transfer through the wall
adjusting the effective insulation level & when
03
Wind exposure
supporting or limiting heat exchange managing how much wind reaches the surface of the insulation layer
HEAT TRASNFER MECHANISMS
The façade dynamically adjusts its behaviour across all three heat transfer mechanisms:
01
Radiation
controlling how much solar energy is absorbed or reflected
02
Conduction
adapting insulation capacity to reduce losses or promote heat flow
03
Convection
managing airflow within the façade cavity to enhance cooling or insulation
THE ADAPTABILITY
You can think of it as the building changing its “clothing” depending on external and internal conditions, instead of wearing the same jacket all year.
This adaptability makes ZERAF particularly valuable for buildings that struggle with:
Seasonal overheating
High internal heat gains
Comfort complaints during mid‑seasons
Peak demand issues
Adaptation to climate change
BENEFITS
From Mechanisms to Performance
This adaptive behaviour allows the building to respond more effectively to real conditions, reducing the need to compensate through mechanical systems.
As a result, the façade contributes directly to building performance, reducing the need to compensate through mechanical systems during operation.
APPLICATIONS
Designed for Real Buildings
ZERAF is developed as a prefabricated façade system,
designed to integrate into both:
The system is modular and engineered for installation without complex operational changes. For occupants, the façade behaves like any other building system: simple to manage, transparent in operation.