This thesis presents an innovative façade element designed to significantly reduce a building’s operational energy consumption while ensuring full recyclability. It achieves this by dynamically adjusting the thermal insulation of a mono-material facade element.
Given the building sector’s high global energy consumption and waste production, such innovations are critically needed.

The methodology consists of a literature review followed by three design phases: (1) conceptual design; (2) preliminary design; (3) final design. The iterative build–measure–learn cycle guided the development process.

Four different designs were developed for the switchable insulation: auxetic structure, soft robotics, doors and organic tree. The auxetic structure was selected to be further developed because of its low sensitivity to production errors and high thermal performance in the insulating state.

When it comes to the material, thermoplastic copolymer (TPC) was used for the facade, because of its flexibility, flame retardance, UV and moisture durability, compatibility with 3D printing, recyclability, and adherence to ISO and EU standards.

The final design achieves a Rc-value of 4.7 m²K/W in its insulating state and 1.16 m²K/W in its conducting state. Switching the state is done with a pneumatic actuator controlled by a rule-based system, making the facade responsive to its environment.

Future research should focus on optimizing the auxetic structure to reduce actuation force and exploring alternative sustainable materials compatible with the mono-material switching concept.