Recycool

Overview

This project addressed the growing need for affordable and sustainable cooling strategies in developing countries such as India. Existing solutions, such as advanced AC systems and specialised building materials, are often too costly and can even contribute to overheating. Our approach focused on identifying alternative methods that balance efficiency, cost, and accessibility.

Objectives

• Investigate the potential of commonly available and recycled materials to absorb heat and moisture from the air.

• Explore how such materials could be adapted into insulating layers or building components for use in existing households.

• Assess whether these low-cost solutions could also enhance the efficiency of other cooling systems.

Approach

The project began with an initial research phase, led under the supervision of Professors Jesús Lizana and Khoa Le. This was followed by a second stage of supervised materials testing, designed to validate the early findings and measure the real-world potential of these low-cost cooling strategies. 

Outcomes

• Identified promising recycled materials capable of reducing indoor overheating.

• Highlighted pathways for integrating these materials into low-cost, scalable cooling solutions.

• Provided a foundation for future research into sustainable building practices that are accessible in resource-constrained environments.