Chalk this one up to: “how the heck didn’t someone think of this before?” But the best ideas are usually the simplest solutions to a problem. MIT seems adept at this. Hence, the color changing energy saving roof tiles, code named Thermeleon. Almost sounds like a song.
The idea is hilariously simple: Make a phase changing polymer gel that changes color with temperature. In hot weather, the gel becomes white and reflects the sun’s rays. In cold temperatures, the gel becomes transparent to reveal a sun absorbing backing. And that becomes like a hot parking lot on a sweltering, sunny day. You get the idea. Thermeleon is looking to do some production – and make some real green!
It would be interesting to see this applied to roofing tiles. There are some white tiles that reflect lots of sun light making the roof cooler, and this would be a good complement to save energy.