Use of nanotechnology underway in Qatar’s facade market
Electrochromic glass, sunlight-deflecting paint being developed for Qatar.
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Matt Kiston, regional director for Hilson Moran’s Qatar operations said nanotechnology is being employed in the facade systems used in Qatar to help buildings meet their energy-efficiency targets.
“A derivate of nanotechnology which has been around for a while has now been licensed in Qatar, and we’re currently testing it out on one of our projects,” Kitson said. “It entails the use of paint, which is manufactured by Japanese research labs working for their national space agencies to protect the nozzle of their rockets from externalities such as dust and deflect sunlight too.
“The paint is basically applied on the tip of rockets, and we’re now using canisters of that paint to coat the buildings we’re working on. The whole process employs a really cool science, but in reality is as simple as some paint in a tub being used in an innovative manner,” Kitson told Big Project ME.
The paint, according to Kitson, is a commercially-viable option for the construction industry in Qatar, and could be used predominantly in the country’s residential sector. “We’re yet to see how it impacts the overall building performance, whether it’s available in other colours and other such factors, but this idea could have a huge impact on the industry, especially for residential projects like small buildings and villas,” he continued.
Kitson revealed another similar intelligent facade prototype is being developed for the Qatar market: “Another technology we’re keen on bringing into Qatar’s market is electrochromic glass, which contains photovoltaic cells that enable the transition of a façade’s appearance and rate of sunlight deflection,” he said.
“We’re working with our partners here to hopefully use this glass on some of the World Cup 2022 projects too. It is a very relevant alternative for sectors which comprise of high-rise towers with glass facades, and it is also becoming very economical by industry standards now.”
Find the full interview with Matt Kitson, and other facade experts, in the September 2014 issue of Big Project ME.
