Nanotechnologies and the Construction Sector

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Nanomaterials promise numerous benefits for nano-enhanced construction products. These include making them healthier, safer, lower energy consuming and longer lasting.

Surfaces and coatings
A number of companies are using nanotechnologies to add special characteristics to product surfaces, which can include stain-resistance; colour durability; self-cleaning; improved hardness; resistance; anti-corrosion; UV resistance, and improved thermal performance.

Thermal performance
By tweaking molecular properties affecting thermal performance, manufacturers have been able to significantly improve this quality in some materials, offering potential energy-efficiency benefits to buildings.

Structural materials
Materials like carbon nanotubes offer both strength and lightness. So far however, widespread improvement of major building materials (steel, advanced concretes) is still at research phase.

Are nano construction products already on the market?
Yes. Examples include:
• Self-compacting concrete (SCC) which uses additional superplasticiser and stabiliser to increase the ease and rate of flow to achieve compaction under its own weight.
• Building glass coatings which form a thin, hygienic, transparent layer over any glass window providing excellent water, dirt and grime roll-off, as well as providing protection, high transparency, and significantly reduced maintenance costs.
• Insulation materials such as Aerogels, very lightweight solids made from silica and carbon which are high-performing thermal products, 9mm achieves the thermal performance of 50mm of mineral wool

Managing risks and uncertainties
All new products entering the construction market are required to meet a series of European CEN standards and domestic Building Regulations aiming to achieve an appropriate level of safety and structural integrity. Pure nano materials will need to show equivalent levels of safety to traditional products to satisfy Building Regulations.

Conclusions
Nanotechnologies are likely to have an impact on the construction sector – but the key to wide application will be cost and environmental sustainability, to ensure that they become competitive with traditional building products.

Below is a SWOT analysis summarising Government understanding, from discussion with stakeholders, of the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the UK in this sector. Please help to steer future actions and shape the UK business environment by answering the questions on the right hand side of the page.