--- description: The ZEC Climactic Table works like a zero-energy, automatic air conditioning unit. title: There's Something Very Special About This Ordinary-Looking Table image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f2ab309696ee12b/698850d406f2c1b88333a3db/zef_table_view1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # There's Something Very Special About This Ordinary-Looking Table  by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 19, 2015 8:03 PM CUT  VIA 2015 © photo Colombe Clier VIA 2015 © photo Colombe ClierZEF  by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 19, 2015 8:03 PM CUT There’s a new way to [cut down on energy costs](http://time.com/3001473/energy-savings-bill-electricity/ "undefined"): a table. The [Zero Energy Furniture (ZEF) table](http://zef-design.tumblr.com/ "undefined") may look like your everyday table, but contains a special phase-changing material that absorbs and releases heat to keep room temperature around 71°F (22°C), WIRED [reports](http://www.wired.com/2015/05/table-sucks-heat-lower-ac-bills/?mbid=social%5Ffb "undefined"). The science behind the climate control table isn’t new, according to the Parisian duo behind the invention, designer Jean-Sébastien Lagrange and engineer Raphaël Ménard. But the application to everyday objects could possibly “address climate and energy issues on a furniture scale,” Lagrange said. When paired with a traditional AC unit, the ZEF table could cut up to 30% of the AC energy, according to the designers. They’re hoping to start selling it later this year.  ZEF Table ZEF  ZEF Table ZEF ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/"},"headline":"There's Something Very Special About This Ordinary-Looking Table","datePublished":"2015-05-19T20:03:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:44:48.989Z","description":"It might save you money","url":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/","keywords":["Tech","Innovation"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f2ab309696ee12b/698850d406f2c1b88333a3db/zef_table_view1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jack Linshi","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jack-linshi/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f2ab309696ee12b/698850d406f2c1b88333a3db/zef_table_view1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"VIA 2015 © photo Colombe Clier","caption":"VIA 2015 © photo Colombe Clier","creditText":"ZEF","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/","name":"There's Something Very Special About This Ordinary-Looking Table"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Six Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Usage","description":"Six strategies to save you money on your monthly energy bill.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/JzB6L38R/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-07-16T19:27:35.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/JzB6L38R.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/","duration":"PT2M57S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3889803/zef-table/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```