Zeraf – A Disruptive Facade Concept for Zero-Carbon Buildings

About the project

ZERAF (ZERo-carbon building enabler Adaptive opaque Facade) is a new concept for building facades that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings in the EU. By using innovative materials and dynamic thermal control systems, ZERAF shifts the opaque building facades from static thermal barriers to thermal modulators. This results in a strong reduction of heating and cooling energy demand, while minimizing the number of primary sources and embodied carbon. ZERAF brings together cutting-edge technology from various fields, such as aerospace, biomedicine, nanomaterials, chemistry, and IOT, to reconceptualise the adaptive opaque facade concept. It involves high-risk/low-TRL research in an interdisciplinary environment to bring innovative solutions into the building sector.

ZERAF is a project funded by the European Innovation Council Pathfinder.

Disruptive configurations of opaque facade technology and use of innovative materials

Building facade systems as thermal modulators

Strong reduction of heating and cooling energy demand of buildings

Drastic carbon footprint reduction of the EU building stock

Objectives

The aim of the EIC-EU funded project is to scientifically prove that ZERAF concept can control all heat transfer mechanisms in opaque building facades to a significant level. Prototypes will be manufactured for the first time and their thermal behaviour will be characterized in a dedicated laboratory. To prove that used materials, fabrication processes and assembly methods do not jeopardize the carbon footprint reduction, most relevant sustainability parameters will be quantified through a building life cycle method.