Cooling Blocks
Project Overview
About
Coal-fired power stations produce large quantities of bottom ash that require storage or disposal, while buildings in hot, humid regions need ways to reduce heat without increasing energy use. Cooling Blocks combine bottom ash with cement in a porous shape containing internal air channels. Moisture held within the material evaporates as air moves through, drawing heat from the surrounding wall. Tested in a full-scale outdoor prototype, the non-load-bearing blocks could reduce waste, support passive cooling and provide a lower-impact material for climate-responsive buildings.
Team
Wannapol Sadakorn
My name is Wannapol Sadakorn, and I am a postdoctoral researcher at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, with a background in architecture. My research focuses on sustainable building materials and urban thermal comfort, particularly in tropical environments. I am interested in exploring how interdisciplinary approaches can contribute to improving the built environment. My work combines laboratory experiments, field measurements, and computational simulations to investigate the thermal performance of building materials and develop practical solutions for reducing urban heat and promoting environmental sustainability.