Cooling Bricks

A new 3-D printed brick is designed to cool a room without the need for an external power source. Called Cool Brick, it combines some of the oldest known methods of making clay bricks with the latest in 3-D printing technology to create a structural building material with built-in cooling properties.

To create the bricks, clay is mixed with organic matter and deposited using a 3-D printer to form a three-dimensional, interlocking lattice structure. Upon firing, the organic matter burns away, leaving tiny pores in the brick. When exposed to water, these microscopic holes through capillary action absorb tiny droplets, which evaporate when they come into contact with air. The result is “evaporative cooling” and when it’s multiplied over an entire wall or room, the effect is significant.

The product is currently being exhibited at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Plans to build a full-sized prototype are in the works.