ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND — A groundbreaking study from the University of St Andrews suggests that smart buildings of the future may be powered not by batteries, but by light, heat, and even motion—thanks to a new class of semiconductors with remarkable energy-harvesting properties.
Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the research focuses on low-dimensional halide perovskites, a group of emerging materials capable of converting ambient energy into electricity through a combination of photovoltaic, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and pyroelectric effects.
“This is the first time the ferroelectric properties of this material have been explored in thin film form,” said Dr Lethy Krishnan Jagadamma, lead researcher and Reader at the School of Physics and Astronomy. “Our findings open the door to powering wireless Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in indoor environments, where most of these devices are expected to be deployed.”
The Internet of Things—a fast-growing web of interconnected devices across homes, workplaces, and cities—is projected to reach 75 billion connected devices globally by 2030. However, powering this massive network presents serious sustainability and maintenance challenges, especially with battery dependency.
Enter halide perovskites: flexible, lightweight, efficient, and low-cost materials that could eliminate the need for frequent battery replacement. Unlike traditional rigid semiconductors, these materials convert ambient light, pressure, heat, and motion into usable energy—even indoors.
“This work supports the vision of ‘green energy everywhere, anytime’,” added Raja Sekhar Muddam, a PhD student at St Andrews’ Energy Harvesting Research Group. “It’s a crucial step toward realising the full potential of Industry 4.0 through clean, self-sustaining power solutions.”
With buildings accounting for nearly 30% of global energy use and 28% of CO₂ emissions, integrating energy-harvesting materials with IoT systems could slash energy consumption in the built environment by up to 45%, the study notes.
This research is a key step forward in enabling a new era of self-powered smart infrastructure—one that may transform everything from healthcare to urban planning, and significantly contribute to global sustainability goals.
