House building taken to the atomic level

A house of the future, built from a range of energy-saving materials developed using nanotechnology is the aim of a new partnership between the CSIRO and The University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

The Nanohouse initiative will be a flagship project of UTS's recently established Institute for Nanoscale Technology and will aim to reduce energy consumption by up to 50%.

UTS Institute for Nanoscale Technology Director Professor Mike Cortie said breakthroughs in producing highly energy efficient building materials using technology at the molecular and atomic level would eventually touch all our lives.

"Nano-materials such as nanoparticle films for reducing solar heat through windows without loss of view, dark coloured paints that reflect heat, new refrigeration methods and new kinds of lighting will be some of the products we aim to apply in the Nanohouse," Prof. Cortie said.

UTS Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) Professor Lesley Johnson said the establishment of the Institute for Nanoscale Technology was part of a broader UTS strategy to create a range of centres and research institutes that would foster collaboration and sharing of ideas across disciplines.

Item provided courtesy of The University of Technology Sydney