A long-term multidisciplinary research project by the Integrated Design Research Lab (IDRL), under the direction of Associate Professor of Architecture Kyoung-Hee Kim, has received a Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I (STTR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
In this phase of the research, the team will develop a microalgae window for retrofitting low-performing commercial windows on office buildings constructed before 1980. The windows will incorporate a network of screens filled with microalgae, which serve multiple beneficial functions, including carbon sequestration, solar shading and thermal insulation. Not only will that result in lower energy costs and cleaner indoor air, but the algae can be collected and converted into biofuel, producing a renewable energy source.