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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Researchers demonstrated a treated wood material that can reject heat passively, without electricity or water at the material itself. In a reported Arizona field test, it stayed 5–6°F below ambient air during the hottest part of the day. That is promising building-material research, not proof that wood can replace a home’s air conditioner.
What “super-wood” means in this research
The phrase refers to radiative-cooling wood demonstrated by researchers in 2019. It is not a powered air conditioner: the material does not make refrigerated air or actively circulate cool air through a building. Instead, it can reflect incoming sunlight and release heat outward through the atmosphere’s transparency window, directing thermal energy toward the cold sky. This passive process is called radiative cooling. The study abstract indexed by PubMed describes the material as a radiative-cooling structural material.
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The name can cause confusion. InventWood’s current product branded SUPERWOOD is described by the company as a structural wood product for interior and exterior building applications. The company pages reviewed do not identify it as the radiative-cooling material in the 2019 study. See InventWood’s contact and SUPERWOOD FAQ and its applications page for the company’s product descriptions.
How the treated wood rejects heat
The University of Maryland’s 2019 description says the researchers removed lignin from the wood, compressed the treated material, and added a superhydrophobic compound to make it water repellent. The processing changes the wood’s optical and thermal properties so it can reflect sunlight and emit heat through the atmosphere’s transparency window. The energy is radiated toward the cold sky rather than converted into chilled air. The University of Maryland release describes the treatment and mechanism.
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What the field test and energy models found
Reported temperatures in Arizona
In a field test on a farm in Arizona under warm, sunny, low-wind conditions, the University of Maryland reported that the material averaged 5–6°F below ambient air temperature during the hottest part of the day. In the reported comparison, it averaged about 12°F cooler than natural wood, which warmed more in sunlight. These are results from that test setting, not guaranteed temperatures for other locations, buildings, seasons, or installations. The university’s 2019 account gives the test conditions and comparisons.
Modeled building savings
The 2019 paper abstract indexed by PubMed reports modeled building-energy savings of 20–60%, with the greatest potential in hot, dry climates. The University of Maryland release separately describes a modeled average 20% reduction in cooling costs for U.S. buildings constructed after 2004. These are distinct model estimates, not observed savings from widespread building installations or a forecast of what a particular household will save. The abstract reports the energy-savings range, while the university release reports the modeled cooling-cost figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does this mean you can replace your air conditioner?
No. The study demonstrates a material’s ability to shed heat and models possible building-energy effects; the available sources do not establish that it can replace conventional HVAC in real buildings. A 2019 Nature feature on radiative-cooling materials said their role in displacing conventional air conditioners remained unclear.
Radiative cooling may help reduce heat gain or shed heat from suitable building surfaces, but whole-building comfort also depends on factors such as climate, sunlight, building design, and the need to move and condition indoor air. The reported results do not establish a retail product, installation method, or household performance guarantee for this research material.
How to interpret the researchers’ claims
Yao Zhai, a co-first author from the University of Colorado Boulder team, said in the University of Maryland release: “When applied to building, this game-changing structural material cools without the input of electricity or water.” This describes the material’s passive cooling mechanism; it is not evidence that a complete air-conditioning system or building operates without power.
Co-first author Tian Li said in the same release: “The processed wood uses the cold universe as heat sink and release thermal energy into it via atmospheric transparency window. It is a sustainable material for sustainable energy to combat global warming.” These quotations are reproduced by the university; they should be read alongside the study’s field-test scope and modeled—not broadly observed—building savings.
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