Smart Autonomous Flexing Modules: A Shading System that Acknowledges the Materials’ Performative Capacities

As an alternative for the energy consuming and complex mechanical architectural responsive systems, a seamless approach is emerging employing performative shape changing materials in creating autonomous systems which rely solely on the material’s performative capacities and molecular intrinsic attributes. This paper introduces two designs for smart autonomous shading systems that are implemented within building envelopes. In fact, they incorporate the shape changing smart material; shape memory polymer (SMP) in which its shape changing effect is triggered by temperature increase in a self-propelled manner. Laboratory experimentations are conducted to test both designs utilising SMP sample representing shading surfaces that can be attached to the building. The surfaces are flat; closing (providing shade) when the temperature is 35 degree Celsius or more and bend to open (allowing light penetration) when it is 25 degree Celsius or less. The experimentation verifies the notion behind the designs as a promising green alternative exhibiting preliminary success. This experiment is an exploratory trial towards investigating the possibilities of the applications of shape changing smart materials architecturally driven by the primal aim of saving energy. 