Energy-absorbing furniture

The pair showed the first in their range of Zero Energy Furniture at this year’s Milan Design Week. Using wax, insulating aluminium and a simple quirk of physics, the table absorbs heat in temperatures above 71°F and gives off heat when the room cools below that level. According to the designers, the table can help offset 60% of the heat that would normally be used, and 30% of the energy required for air conditioning, working best in climates where there are big temperature swings during the day. ‘You don’t really feel the heat or cold near the table,’ they say. ‘It is more like a thermal sponge that regulates the temperature of the entire room.’ 

The Big Picture: New architectural concepts propose harnessing and managing existing energy flows. For more, see our Energetic Architecture microtrend.