Building a Sustainable Future
The world is crowd!
Whatever you stay at home, go out to work or to play, are surrounded by thousand and thousand of buildings and roads. Nowadays, world population is over 7 billion. According to WHO 2015 and Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the urban population in 2014 accounted for 54% of the total global population, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050. People who are living in urban area, are getting intense.Opportunities Around The World
Construction is definitely the fundamental for every human being and so as the natural resources. Findings from UNEP, buildings use about 40% of global energy (such as lighting, heating, air conditioning), 25% of global water, 40% of global resources and they emit approximately 1/3 of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions.
“Most of the construction materials that are being used today and consumed in enormous quantities, after completion of its service life does not remain by nature, recyclable” (Shil A, 2015). To start up the environmental footprint in construction industry, applications of nanotechnology is placing a critical role in improving durability and enhancing performance of construction components, increasing energy efficiency and safety of the buildings as well as living comfort. No doubt that, not just construction industrial players, government leaders are shifting their way to facilitate themselves to adapt and win the game in global prospective.
How Nano Works and Adopts in Construction?
Nanotechnology materials are spreading its importance in the construction industry that is not only for enhancing materials properties and functions, but also have contribution on increasing effective use of energy (Nanowerk spotlight, 2012). Nano materials in the construction sectors can be categorized into the following major areas:
(1) Mechanical structure: Cement-bound and ceramic construction materials
Online source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-generation-nanotechnology-construction-industry-anupam-shil
Nanotechnology has affected the processing conditions, released CO2 emissions, service life and functionalities by adding nano-additives in concrete production process. Some of the nanoparticles that could be used for these features are nano silica (silica fume), nanostructured metals, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Nano-particles reveal its function through the process to strengthen the chemical bonding, fill up the micro/nano pores within concrete structure.
(2) Insulation: Thermal insulation, temperature regulation and noise reduction
How to effectively control or regulate energy consumption for contribution is one of the topics for industrial player to resolve. With the aid of nanotechnology, answer is easily founded.
(3) Protection – Surface coating
“TiO2, Al2O3 or ZnO are applied as a final coating on construction ceramics to bring this characteristic to the surfaces. TiO2 is being used for its ability to break down dirt or pollution when exposed to UV light and then allow it to be washed off by rainwater on surfaces” (Nanowerk, n.d.).
(4) Energy Generation
To go further about how to reduce or regulate energy consumption, a more productive way should be considered, which is “energy generation”. Nanotechnology allows the development of ultra-thin film photovoltaic coatings, which can drive down the cost, convert solar energy to electricity. It can spread the energy generation process carry through the walls and windows of a building without affecting their appearance (Soutter W, 2014).
Nanoparticles or additives reinforce overall performance of construction materials on durability, mechanical strength, self-healing ability, air purifying function, fire resistance and to make it easy to clean (Keleş Y, 2009) and further, increase efficiency on both energy usage and generation.
Risk and Threat of Nanotech in Construction
Although nanotechnology has brought construction to a green way, it is still standing in a subordinate role in the industry. Several topics are still under investigation:
- According to Nanowerk spotlight 2012, high price for production of nanoparticles is one of the key factors that hold back contractors’ interest. Construction involves tons of raw materials. That means large investment is required before getting profitable results.
- Manipulation of nanomaterials in construction is still under its young stage. Normally, serving life of a building or infrastructure is normally around 20-30 years or above. Seldom research data can be found as reference. Without quantitative support create obstacle for contractors to shift their way from traditional approach.
- The most serious concern is the potential health hazard for the people who have contact of nano-products, including workers and end-users. Global regulation or rules is also absent. Under this unregulated environment, construction companies that are using nanoparticles chose not to mention (Smith M, n.d.).
The industry is taking action to avoid the potential risk e.g. as inhalation of nanoparticles might cause respiratory disease, most nanomaterials are produced in liquid form as suspension or solutions, or in a sealed environment (Nanowerk Spotlight, 2012). To make the technology be more popular use in the industry, government and industrial players should step in the frontline. Encourage in-depth and professional study may provide quantitative data for public reference and creating industrial standard. In addition, appropriated rules and regulations can maintain the best practices and usage of nanomaterials in construction industry.
Save the Planet or Makes Money?!
“Eco-friendly or Green” is a magic word that easily appeals to human over the world. Intensive applications of nanotechnology provided environmental benefits in green construction. It gradually tightens the relationship of nano and green with each other. In fact, green construction generates economic benefit in both tangible and intangible way. Nanotech provided the advantage of effective use of energy and prolong the life cycle of building and infrastructure. In other words, it assists to release the pain of our planet by saving the energy and conserving natural resources, meanwhile, bring along economic outcome.
According to Progressive Investor (2007), “The market for nano-enhanced building materials in the U.S. is expected to grow to $400 million by 2016”. In UK, the construction sector is facing strict requirements to reduce its energy consumption by 50% and its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. As a result, the government starts to see investment-attracting breakthroughs in low-emission buildings and green heating and cooling systems (Adam, 2015). Application of nanomaterials can definitely provide a solution. For example, traditional concrete production process produced large amount of CO2 (5-6% of global CO2 emission and one of the key origin of global warming), use of nanomaterial can reduce CO2 emission in certain extent (Eldridge T, 2014).
Context Impact in Developed and Developing countries
Referring to Bernstein, H. M. (2013), combination of social factor of increasing health and well-being induces high demand of green building, especially in developed countries like US. US green building market grow from 2% in 2005 to 44% in 2012. Green building is shifting to standard design and construction practice in this country. Strong interdependence of social, environmental as well as economic factors are built and induced opportunity to the industrial players and even workers.
In view of emerging market like India. India firms has increase business sense on short paid back period brings with substantial reduction of operation cost. In addition, government continues its engagement on green building development in order to push India as the global leader in substantial building in 2025. Since China is still new on the green concept, the growth of green construction is relatively slow by comparing with other countries. However, the government has set the goal of 16% reduction of energy use and 17% reduction of CO2 emissions per unit of GDP. With preliminary investigation of the above, we can see the high demand of green construction that also implies a large room for nano-construction materials development in such largest population markets.
Conclusion
Our planet is serious hurt by excessive human activities and everyone knows that natural resources will be used up finally. Increasing world population, urbanization lead more and more people move from rural area to the cities. Construction especially for housing and infrastructure is basic to support a country’s development. At the same time, it is somehow destructing the environment in certain extent. It might be a long way to find the perfect balance of human’s living comfort and sustainable future. It is believed that cautious applications of emerging technology and short-term investment could leverage the global opportunities and environmental concerns, and could bring along long-term and positive economic impact.
Reference
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