Hot problems

Modern new-build apartments are increasingly prone to overheating. Highly insulated, airtight buildings retain heat effectively in winter but lack passive mechanisms to release it in warmer conditions, a problem intensified by rising temperatures due to climate change.

For developers and asset owners, this creates systemic risk across property portfolios: reduced occupant comfort, health concerns, regulatory pressure, and potential reputational and financial impacts. Emerging standards and overheating regulations are making this issue more urgent.

Current solutions—such as boost ventilation or air conditioning— increase energy bills and noise levels for residents whilst also increasing upfront costs for developers. There is a clear gap for scalable, low-energy, low-cost solutions that address overheating without undermining building performance or accelerating reliance on mechanical cooling.

Cool solutions

We are developing a climate-responsive façade system that dynamically regulates heat flow—retaining warmth in winter while enabling passive cooling in summer. Unlike conventional insulation with fixed performance, our Switchable Insulation solutions adapt to changing conditions, addressing overheating without relying on mechanical cooling.

Designed as a low-energy, low-carbon, fire-safe cladding solution, it integrates into both new-build and retrofit projects to automatically regulate indoor temperatures. It requires no power and produces no noise. Unlike other passive cooling solutions, it performs effectively in noisy and polluted urban environments where where occupants need to keep windows and vents closed.

The impact is fourfold: improved occupant comfort, improved climate-resilience, reduced reliance on air conditioning, and lower lifecycle costs. By minimising cooling demand, it reduces operational energy costs, while also lowering upfront capital expenditure by avoiding or downsizing mechanical cooling systems.