Optical Materials for Thermoregulation of the Built Environment and Beyond

Subject associations
CEE 529 / MSE 539 / ENE 529
Term
Spring 2026
Instructors
Jyotirmoy Mandal
Registrar description

This course explores material and optical design strategies for thermal management of buildings. In the first part of the course, we cover fundamental aspects of thermal radiation and light-matter interactions in built and natural environments. The second part covers traditional and emerging materials and strategies for radiative thermoregulation of buildings. Specific topics include traditional designs such as cool-roof films and low-E coatings, emerging materials like radiative coolers, and adaptive coolers/heaters, and their impact within buildings and the broader environment.