Currently, on the Main Quad, there is an epidemic of professors utilizing cardboard to black out their windows. This effort yields little results concerning the true problem of heat in classrooms as it only blocks out the sun but does not lower the temperature of the space. Along with insufficient cooling properties, covering windows results in a lack of sunlight, reduced mood and productivity, and distracts from the original architectural design.
1) Energy Producing Window
An Energy Producing Window is the proposed solution to preserve aesthetics and ensure productive cooling practices. This technology will function similarly to a solar panel but without the unsightliness of the traditional product. A clear window will take in the heat and light energy that enters a classroom and convert it into a usable form of electrical energy. This energy can later power air conditioning in the Main Quad. By having the windows uncovered and allowing the sun to enter there will be no need for overhead lights as the sun will provide a natural illumination to the classroom. Implementing Energy Producing Windows will improve student and faculty health as natural light increases mood and productivity. This product utilizes the original architectural design of the Quad, not disrupts it, and turns the blazing California sun into a practical commodity. Most importantly, these windows will generate electricity posing a sustainable method in cooling the classrooms while lowering electrical costs and carbon footprint.
2) Endothermic Cooling Tower
Bringing chemistry into everyday life, an Endothermic Cooling Tower is a solution for lowering the temperature of a room. Endothermic reactions occur when the reactants of a chemical reaction absorb the encircling heat and allow for a drop in temperature. The Endothermic Cooling Tower is a box that holds cartridges full of the chemicals needed for endothermic properties to form. In its design, the tower facilitates air circulation from hot to cold with slots on all sides so air can flow through it. This product does not need energy to function as all the cooling happens naturally through chemistry. Although there is one part of the cooling system that will need to be replaced, the endothermic cartridges can only last for a few weeks depending on the range of temperatures in the room– a normally cold room will preserve the chemicals for a longer period than a warmer room. The tower is user-friendly and cartridges can be easily changed out by opening the front plate with a simple clasp and then replacing the cartridges similarly to that of a printer.
3) Heat Exchanging Gel Sheets
When ailed with a fever, most physicians recommend cooling the skin’s temperature with a wet rag placed on the forehead. Heat stored in the body is released through a person’s head, so placing a cold object on the skin around the head will allow for a heat exchange thus lowering skin temperature. If lowering the temperature of an entire room is too difficult then perhaps lowering the temperature of the afflicted individual is more beneficial and realistic. Heat Exchange Gel Sheets are the proposed solution for personal cooling. The product will consist of simply two components: cotton fabric backing and a solid hydrogel stuck to the lining. Cotton is an organic material that can be composted over time as it is biodegradable. The main component is the hydrogel, it is a biodegradable gel that is composed of agricultural matter, that is infused with menthol which lends the cooling effect. The structure of the product will mimic a patch that can be placed on various parts of the body, so long as it is in contact with bare skin, and will begin to lower body temperature for up to eight hours. Once the Heat Exchange Gel Sheets have run their course, they can be easily disposed of in a composting bin and eventually degrade back into the earth, demonstrating sustainability and low environmental impact.
