MIRACLE · Project

Self-Cooling Concrete That Cuts Building Energy Bills Without Electricity

constructionPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine concrete walls and roofs that work like a natural radiator in reverse — they push heat out into the cold of outer space, cooling the building down without using any electricity at all. The MIRACLE team figured out how to embed tiny steel microfibres into concrete in a precise pattern so the material itself bounces heat away through a natural window in Earth's atmosphere. Think of it like giving a building a permanent, energy-free air conditioner built right into its walls. They built a working prototype and tested it in a real building test facility in Spain.

By the numbers

consortium partners across Europe

countries involved (BE, DE, ES, FR, IT)

project deliverables completed

SMEs in the consortium

extra energy needed for cooling (zero energy consumption)

The business problem

What needed solving

Buildings consume massive amounts of energy for cooling, especially in southern Europe and warming climates. Mechanical air conditioning is expensive to run, requires maintenance, uses refrigerants with environmental impact, and works against Nearly-Zero-Energy-Building targets that EU regulations increasingly demand. There is no widely available building material that passively cools structures without any energy input.

The solution

What was built

The consortium developed a Photonic Meta-Concrete (PMC) — a steel microfibre-reinforced concrete engineered at the micro-scale to radiate heat through Earth's atmospheric transparency window into outer space. They built a working prototype, installed it in the KUBIK building test facility, and instrumented it with sensors for performance data acquisition. Across 21 deliverables, they also developed deep learning-based design optimization methods and two-photon-polymerization fabrication techniques.

Audience

Who needs this

Concrete and cement manufacturers seeking premium product differentiationCommercial property developers targeting NZEB certificationGreen building material distributors in southern European marketsHVAC engineering firms looking for passive cooling alternativesPublic infrastructure agencies managing heat-exposed structures

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Commercial Real Estate & Property Development

enterprise

Target: Property developers and building owners managing large commercial portfolios

If you are a commercial property developer dealing with rising cooling costs and tightening energy performance regulations — this project developed a special concrete material that passively cools buildings by radiating heat to outer space, without any electricity. A prototype was installed and tested in the KUBIK building test facility. This could reduce reliance on mechanical cooling systems in new construction across 5 European countries where the consortium operated.

Construction Materials & Concrete Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Concrete and cement producers looking for high-value specialty products

If you are a concrete manufacturer looking to differentiate with premium products — this project created a steel microfibre-reinforced concrete with engineered photonic properties that provide passive radiative cooling. The consortium included 2 SMEs involved in fabrication, and the manufacturing process uses scalable methods. With 8 partners across 5 countries validating the concept, this represents a potential new product category in advanced building materials.

Green Building Consulting & NZEB Compliance

SME

Target: Energy consultants and NZEB certification specialists

If you are an energy consultant helping clients meet Nearly-Zero-Energy-Building requirements — this project demonstrated a passive cooling concrete that eliminates energy consumption for heat rejection. The prototype was tested in the KUBIK test facility with full sensor instrumentation for data acquisition. This technology could become a specification option for meeting strict NZEB targets without adding mechanical cooling infrastructure.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this cost compared to regular concrete?

Based on available project data, specific cost figures are not disclosed. The fabrication relies on steel microfibres and an inverse-phase methodology using two-photon-polymerization, which are currently specialized lab techniques. Commercial pricing would depend on scaling these processes, which has not yet been demonstrated at production volumes.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

The project explicitly aimed for a 'fully scalable solution based on steel microfibre reinforced concrete.' However, the current fabrication uses two-photon-polymerization (2PP) for micro-patterned moulds, which is a precision laboratory technique. Scaling from prototype to mass production would require significant process engineering and investment.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The IP is held by the 8-partner consortium led by CSIC (Spain's national research council). As a publicly funded RIA project under FET Open, licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the consortium. SciTransfer can help identify the right contacts for licensing discussions.

How does this compare to existing building cooling solutions?

Unlike mechanical HVAC systems or even passive green roofs, this technology works by engineering concrete at the micro-scale to radiate heat through Earth's atmospheric transparency window directly into outer space. The key differentiator is zero energy consumption — no compressors, no refrigerants, no maintenance of moving parts. Based on the project objective, it targets Nearly-Zero-Energy-Building compliance.

What stage of development is this technology at?

The consortium built and tested a prototype in the KUBIK building test facility, with full sensor instrumentation for data acquisition. This was a FET Open project, meaning it started from breakthrough research. The technology has proven the concept works in a controlled real-building environment but is still years from commercial products.

Is this only for new buildings or can it be applied to existing ones?

Based on available project data, the technology involves engineering the concrete itself during manufacturing — the steel microfibres must be arranged in a specific ordered pattern within the concrete. This suggests it is primarily suited for new construction rather than retrofitting existing buildings, though surface-applied panels could potentially be developed.

Which regulations or standards would support adoption?

The project directly targets the EU's Nearly-Zero-Energy-Building (NZEB) requirements, which mandate extremely low energy consumption for all new buildings. As NZEB standards tighten across EU member states, passive cooling technologies that reduce energy demand without mechanical systems become increasingly valuable for compliance.

Consortium

Who built it

The MIRACLE consortium brings together 8 partners from 5 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy), led by Spain's top research council CSIC. The team is heavily research-oriented — 4 universities and 3 research organizations — which fits a FET Open breakthrough project. Industry involvement is limited at 12%, with just 1 industrial partner and 2 SMEs. This research-heavy composition means the technology is scientifically robust but will need additional industrial partnerships to move toward commercialization. A concrete manufacturer or construction company joining as a commercialization partner would be the logical next step.

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASCoordinator · ES
UNIVERSIDAD PUBLICA DE NAVARRAparticipant · ES
ASOCIACION DE LA INDUSTRIA NAVARRAthirdparty · ES
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
POLITECNICO DI TORINOparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADTparticipant · DE
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

CSIC (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas), Spain — SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project coordinator.

Order a report on this consortium See AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this passive cooling concrete technology or partnering with the MIRACLE team? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the consortium and help you evaluate the commercial fit for your product line or building projects.

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