CGBC Faculty Startup “Trellis Air” Featured in The Harvard Gazette

Jonathan Grinham, assistant professor of architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and core faculty member at the Center for Green Buildings and Cities, was recently featured in The Harvard Gazette for his work on Trellis Air: a Harvard startup that aims to reduce the energy demands of air conditioners by using a novel approach to dehumidification.

Unlike traditional vapor-compression technologies—which have remained largely unchanged for over a century—Trellis Air introduces an innovative solution: a unique membrane capable of separating water vapor directly from the air. This system consumes considerably less energy than traditional air conditioners and dehumidifiers and is more stable than desiccant cooling systems.

The team tested the Trellis Air system at HouseZero ®, the living laboratory and headquarters of the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities to collect data on the technology’s efficiency in a real-world setting.

As global demand for AC rises, Trellis Air’s groundbreaking technology may offer a path toward more sustainable and energy-efficient cooling.

To learn more about Trellis Air, Read The Harvard Gazette article here.