AkzoNobel has become exclusive paint supplier to the Calosol heat-retaining façade, a coating which can warm up or cool down a building—and a technology it helped to create.
According to AkzoNobel, the panel system—developed with Dutch partners Emergo and TNO— is at its core is a coating that harnesses energy from the invisible spectrum of sunlight, enabling the system to generate solar power throughout daylight hours—even in the rain. In this way, the company says the system transforms building facades into energy sources.
“The built environment accounts for around 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions, so finding effective solutions to help reduce the environmental footprint of buildings is vital,” says Wijnand Bruinsma, AkzoNobel’s director of Sustainability. “Our Sikkens brand in the Netherlands already helps customers achieve BREEAM certification and this new façade technology is another innovative addition to what we currently offer.”