The James Dyson Award has announced its national winner: Brikoole, a groundbreaking invention which aims to combat increasing energy consumption and demand for electricity. It is a passive cooling system designed to be integrated within a building’s structure. With climate change being a key concern for the winning team, they used controlled airflow and evaporative cooling methods to reduce indoor temperatures without external energy sources. Globally, buildings consume up to 40% of the world’s total energy and by 2030, it is expected to increase to 50%. Malaysia ranks third in the world in terms of carbon emissions, with an average annual rate of 4.7%.
Wayne Chong and Nixon Ng, graduates of the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, are the brains behind Brikoole. “The main motivation behind Brikoole came from observing the increasing energy consumption and environmental impact of traditional air conditioning systems in tropical climates. Someone that I care a lot about recently had a spike in their electricity bill to an amount that is severely affecting their family’s financial status, which led me to dive deep into this problem,” Nixon shared.
Taking cues from ancient wisdom, Brikoole is inspired by natural ventilation systems like termite mounds, wind catchers, and Salsabil fountains. The Brikoole employs a multi-layered approach to achieve its cooling effect. The exterior of the brick features strategically placed ventilation holes that allow air to enter. This air then passes through an intricate internal structure – currently, a 3D-printed mesh made of wood PLA, with plans to transition to ceramic in the final design. This mesh is kept consistently moist via an integrated water distribution system. As air traverses this humid environment, evaporation occurs, effectively cooling the air. This cooled air is channelled into the building’s interior, creating a refreshing and comfortable atmosphere.
“It took us two months to research, test and develop the prototype,” Wayne shared. “From our tests, we learned that using the right geometry pattern was important in achieving optimum results”. In tropical climates like Malaysia, Brikoole can reduce temperatures by up to 6.2 degrees Celsius, achieving a comfortable 31 degrees Celsius compared to 37 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it decreases the reliance on active cooling, such as air conditioners. With time, electricity consumption and carbon emissions associated with fossil fuel generation are reduced significantly.
The Brikoole distinguishes itself in sustainable architecture by uniquely incorporating evaporative cooling directly into the building material. Unlike conventional passive cooling methods, which often need separate systems or extensive architectural changes, their solution is naturally modular and scalable. Brikoole can be effortlessly integrated into a wide range of building designs and styles, making sustainable cooling more versatile and accessible.
The James Dyson Award is an international design competition that celebrates and inspires the next generation of problem solvers. It encourages young engineers to develop solutions that address real-world challenges. As the national winner, Brikoole takes home 29,300 MYR to support its next steps in development and commercialisation, including refining the prototype’s material from the current wood PLA mesh to a more efficient 3D-printed ceramic internal structure. They are also committed to conducting comprehensive real-world testing in the tropics and exploring potential design variations to cater to specific building types and regional climate challenges.
Sharon Yap, Head of Technology Development at Dyson, highlighted that, “Brikoole is a wonderful example of how our young local engineers can bring a fresh perspective to age-old problems. Global warming continues to have a huge impact on Malaysia, and I am glad that our future generations are creating sustainable solutions to this problem. The James Dyson Award will provide a great platform for the team to further their invention, and I am hopeful that Brikoole will help to protect our planet from further degradation.”
The Brikoole will progress to the next stage of the James Dyson Award. The international Top 20 shortlist, selected by Dyson engineers, will be announced on 16 October, and the global winners will be chosen by James Dyson on 13 November.
The Runners Up
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