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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This 3D Smart Energy-saving Device Can Heat & Cool Buildings Automatically Without Using Electricity

Imagine a future where buildings automatically stay warm in winter and cool in summer—without using electricity, fuel, or any external power. A future where walls and roofs adjust themselves like living organisms, responding to sunlight and temperature changes on their own. That future just came a step closer to reality.

A team of researchers from DGIST, together with KAIST, POSTECH, Kyung Hee University, and Kongju National University, has developed a breakthrough 3D smart energy-saving device that can heat or cool buildings completely without electricity. Their study, published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials, could redefine the future of sustainable architecture and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Why This Invention Matters: The Global Energy Problem

Buildings around the world consume nearly 30% of total global energy. Out of that, a massive 70% is spent just on heating and cooling. This means that air-conditioners, heaters, and ventilation systems are among the biggest contributors to:

  • High electricity bills

  • Power shortages

  • Carbon emissions

  • Urban heat pollution

  • Climate change

Heating and cooling buildings has become one of the biggest challenges for sustainable development. Countries are searching for eco-friendly solutions, especially for rapidly growing urban areas where skyscrapers, homes, malls, and offices demand enormous energy.

Traditional cooling and heating technologies have limitations:

  • They rely heavily on electricity or gas

  • They require maintenance and complex controls

  • They cannot automatically adjust based on weather

  • They waste energy by running even when not needed

Because of these challenges, scientists worldwide are exploring passive, self-regulating solutions—devices that can function naturally with minimal human intervention and no electricity.

This is where the new 3D smart device stands out. It represents a fresh approach to climate control in buildings: energy-saving, automatic, and self-powered.

A Breakthrough in Smart Architecture: What the Researchers Developed

The research team led by Professor Kim Bong-hoon from DGIST has created a 3D Smart Building Energy-Saving Device that:

  • Automatically controls heating and cooling

  • Requires no external electricity

  • Works using shape memory alloys

  • Adjusts itself according to sunlight angles

  • Can be used on many types of buildings

This invention is inspired by traditional architecture, particularly the design of eaves—the parts of roofs that extend outward. Historically, different cultures designed eaves based on their location’s latitude:

  • Longer eaves for hot regions to block direct sunlight

  • Shorter eaves for colder regions to let sunlight in

The researchers took this ancient wisdom and combined it with modern materials science to create a device that behaves intelligently on its own.

How the Device Works: A Simple Explanation

The 3D smart device works as a self-regulating system that changes its shape depending on temperature and sunlight. This makes it able to switch between cooling mode and heating mode without robots, wires, sensors, or electricity.

1. Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): The “Smart Material”

The key to the invention is a special material called Shape Memory Alloy (SMA).
SMA has a unique property:
It automatically changes shape when temperature changes.

When the weather gets hot, the alloy bends or twists in a specific direction.
When it becomes cooler, it returns to its original shape.
This natural motion allows the device to open or close like a flower responding to sunlight.

SMA acts as the device’s muscle—but unlike real muscles, it needs no energy to move.

Cooling Mode: How the Device Keeps Buildings Cold

When the structure is closed, its outer surface provides two cooling effects:

a. Solar Heat Reflection

The closed surface reflects most incoming sunlight.
This prevents heat from entering the building, reducing the need for air-conditioning.

b. Mid-Infrared Radiation Emission

The surface also emits radiation in the mid-infrared range into space.
This is a natural cooling method known as radiative cooling.
It removes heat from the building’s surface, lowering indoor temperature.

With both reflection and emission working together, the device can keep buildings cool naturally—even under sunlight—without power.

Heating Mode: How the Device Warms Buildings

When the device opens, the internal black surface becomes exposed.
This material:

  • Absorbs sunlight efficiently

  • Converts solar energy into heat

  • Transfers warmth into the building

In winter or in cold weather, this heating mode helps maintain comfortable indoor temperatures naturally.

Automatic Transition Between Modes

The device’s biggest advantage is its ability to switch between heating and cooling on its own, based on:

  • Sunlight

  • Angle of the sun

  • Outdoor temperature

  • Seasonal changes

There is no need to operate switches or controls.
The SMA material expands or contracts automatically, causing the 3D structure to open or close.

This means that:

  • In summer → it stays closed → building stays cool

  • In winter → it opens → building absorbs sunlight for heat

The building behaves like a living organism that adapts to its environment.

Experiments and Real-World Testing

To confirm that the device works reliably, the research team conducted outdoor tests under different conditions:

  • Different angles of sunlight

  • Different seasons

  • Various weather patterns

  • Different building shapes and sizes

Key Results from Testing

  1. Stable Performance Outdoors
    The device switched modes reliably even under real weather variations.

  2. Independent of Building Type
    It worked equally well for different types of buildings, including:

  • High-rise towers

  • Residential homes

  • Industrial facilities

  • Research centers

  • Public buildings

  1. No Power Needed
    The system functioned fully without electricity—purely on natural temperature changes.

  2. Consistent Energy Savings
    The prototype demonstrated measurable reduction in heating and cooling loads.

Potential Applications: A Future of Self-Managing Buildings

This 3D smart device can be integrated into multiple parts of a building:

Walls and Facades

Outer walls that automatically heat or cool could dramatically reduce building energy use.

Roofs

Roof panels with the device could make homes more efficient in both hot and cold climates.

Windows or Shades

Smart shading systems could respond to sunlight, similar to automatic blinds but without motors or electricity.

Temporary or Mobile Structures

Disaster shelters, military camps, or remote field stations could benefit from passive heating/cooling.

Industrial Sites

Factories and warehouses could reduce their cooling loads—particularly important for hot countries.

Overall, the device opens opportunities for smart architecture, self-regulating materials, and future eco-cities.

Why This Innovation Is So Important

1. Zero-Energy Operation

The biggest advantage is that the device works without electricity.
This makes it ideal for reducing energy demand and fighting climate change.

2. Reduces Carbon Emissions

Less electricity for heating and cooling means fewer emissions from power plants.

3. Maintenance-Free

No motors, sensors, or wiring means low maintenance costs.

4. Works Automatically

No need for human intervention.
The building adapts itself based on outdoor conditions.

5. Inspired by Nature and Architecture

It is a perfect blend of:

  • Biomimicry

  • Traditional design

  • Materials science

  • Robotics

  • Environmental engineering

6. Scalability

It can be adapted to small homes or huge commercial complexes.

A Turning Point in Energy-Efficient Building Technology

Professor Kim Bong-hoon emphasized that the innovation marks a new direction for sustainable architecture:

“This study presents an eco-friendly heating and cooling system that operates independently without a power source and suggests a new direction for next-generation energy-saving building technology.”

The fact that the research was selected as a cover study in Advanced Materials highlights its global significance.

The team aims to expand this technology into:

  • Real building installations

  • Large-scale architectural systems

  • Urban energy-saving smart technologies

Their ultimate goal: Help cities and industries reduce energy usage drastically.

The Science Behind the Innovation in a Nutshell

  • Buildings waste huge energy in heating/cooling

  • Researchers created a 3D device that reacts to sunlight

  • Shape memory alloys cause the device to open or close

  • Closed mode → reflects sunlight + emits infrared → cooling

  • Open mode → absorbs sunlight → heating

  • No electricity needed

  • Works automatically in outdoor environments

  • Can be fitted on any building

  • Expected to cut energy usage significantly

A Glimpse Into the Future

Imagine cities where:

  • Buildings “breathe” and adjust like natural organisms

  • Skyscrapers change shape depending on seasons

  • Homes stay cool even in extreme summers without AC

  • Rural houses stay warm in winter without heaters

  • Zero-energy buildings become the norm

  • Urban heat islands reduce dramatically

This future is not far away.
With innovations like DGIST’s 3D smart energy-saving device, the world is moving toward truly sustainable living.

Conclusion: A Revolutionary Step Toward Zero-Energy Buildings

The development of a non-powered 3D smart energy device marks one of the most promising advancements in modern construction and environmental engineering. As climate change intensifies and cities expand, the demand for sustainable, energy-efficient solutions will only grow.

This invention offers a powerful answer:
A building component that thinks, responds, and adapts—all without consuming energy.

From smart homes to industrial structures, from eco-cities to remote shelters, the potential applications are vast. If widely adopted, this technology can reduce global energy use, cut carbon emissions, and make living spaces more comfortable and affordable.

The 3D smart device is more than a scientific breakthrough—it is a glimpse into a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable future.

Reference: H. J. Jin, J. Seo, H. U. Chung, et al. “ Development of 3D Reversible Smart Energy-Saving Devices for Adaptive Energy Management.” Adv. Mater. 37, no. 43 (2025): 2507682. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202507682

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