In 2023, scientists built a rooftop tile that opens its cooling vents when hot and closes them when cold, using no electricity and cutting cooling costs 3.1-fold

Innovative engineers have created high-tech roof tiles that adjust themselves to optimize building temperatures automatically. By utilizing wax actuators, these tiles can switch between reflecting and absorbing sunlight efficiently. This breakthrough drastically lowers energy costs for heating and cooling, unlike older passive designs that needed significant temperature differences to work well. This technology presents a vital advancement in alleviating the energy demands on power grids.