Core77

This is one for Treehugger to pick up: Greg Blonder's C))Motion is a super-clever solution to the solar-loading problem on south-facing exposures. As Greg writes: "On sunny days you'd like to reflect heat away from the interior, but when clouds roll by--or at night--automatically re-engage the view. People have tried complex, electronic 'smart' windows, but I have a passive technique that not only works, but opens new architectural avenues for design."

Similar to a bimetallic strip, the material is a thin sheet of plastic that curls when heated. So it acts like a louver on the surface of a window. Simple, cheap and passive. Hug it, boys. [Link. Click on SCREEN, but watch the SCHMOO loop too.]