Nanotech's for real in the building industry

Filed in archive Materials on December 17, 2005

Nanotechnology is sometimes seen as all hype, with little real-world application. But nanomaterials are already all around us. Take the buildings that we live and work in, for instance. You' ll find nanotechnology used to create stronger steel, self-cleaning glass, solar-collecting fabrics, and even smog-eating concrete. And not only are these nanomaterials present in our buildings, they' re making them better places to live and work.

Self-cleaning glass has a nanoparticle coating dirt can' t stick to, eliminating the need for expensive and dangerous manual window washing on tall buildings.

Solar-collecting fabric is the first of a new wave of building components that convert solar radiation into electricity. That means no more applying unattractive solar panels to the roof, but instead integrating energy production into building facades.

Nanocomposite steel is more corrosion resistant than conventional steel, and can reduce installation costs by up to 50%. And the Quantity required to make a building may be up to 40% less than conventional steel.

Smog-eating concrete is produced by applying a nanolayer of titanium dioxide to concrete, which triggers a catalytic reaction that destroys many pollutants in contact with the surface.

At the very least, these materials reduce building maintenance costs, leaving more money for other improvements, and they can help clean up the environment. They can reduce energy costs as well. And for every nanomaterial available today, there are approximately seventy more in research and development, meaning that architecture is in for some big changes thanks to small tech. To learn more about them, visit the archives of my old weblog, Nanotechnology and Design. I no longer post there so I can give nanotechbuzz my undivided attention, but it still has over seventy-five posts on nanotech' s impact on architecture and other design fields. Also check out the nanohouse project underway at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia (pictured).