A new kind of architectural material laid over the exterior of buildings could cool, heat and light interior rooms, a Canadian researcher said.

The architectural "skins" would interact with the weather to harness, transfer and release energy, said Filiz Klassen, who teaches at Ryerson University's School of Interior Design.

"Scientific research has produced materials that adjust to environmental conditions in different contexts," Klassen said.

Klassen has developed building skins of mesh fabric that create flashes of light with the pressure of wind and adjust temperature when subjected to rain, the university said in a release Friday.

By integrating weather elements into her designs, Klassen is studying how to change a building's environmental footprint by changing attitudes and energy consumption, the university said.

"We spend so much time and energy warding off or protecting buildings against the elements that it takes an adjustment to embrace their full potential," Klassen said.