This week in greenbuilding news at BEE Inc., we take a look at smart lighting, smart water and power meters, and a surface coating that can knock nasty bacteria.
Antibacterial Surface Inspired by Dragonfly Wings
A little inspiration from nature might pave the way for germ-free surfaces in the future.
Nanopillars in black silicon readily tear asunder bacteria that comes in contact. (Image TheAustralian.com.au)
Last March, microbiologist Elena Ivanona and her teamin Hawthorn, Australia, looked into the structure of cicada wings and discovered excellent germicidal properties. The insect’s wings under a scanning electron microscope were found to be composed of “nanopillars”, a surface of closely-set, jagged spikes that effectively pierce and burst the cell walls of a bacteria that comes in contact.
This November, the scientists turned their attention to the Wandering Percher dragonfly, which has an even deadlier wing structure, able to slice open a wider range of bacteria. Apparently, insects’ way of avoiding harmful bacteria doesn’t lie in any secretion of chemical compounds, but in the very structure of their body.
Structurally speaking, the closest man-made material to the insects’ spike-riddled wings is black silicon discovered in the ‘90s. Ivanova and her team found excellent germicidal properties in black silicon as well, comparable to dragonfly wings. Other than being used as a semiconductor for solar cells, black silicon is now looked at as a possible surface coating material that can be used in various settings where sanitation is crucial such as hospitals and restaurants, maybe even in ordinary homes and buildings.
Antibiotic resistance of bacteria has been a major health concern for decades. Black silicon and other synthetic germicidal nanosurfaces in the future might not exactly end our dependence on antibiotics, but they could help thwart infection before they can even start.
We’re on the right track already with healthy green building (low-VOC materials, proper ventilation, etc.). Now it’s time to tackle things at the nano level.
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SmartLight: Sunlight with Nothing Lost in the Conversion
We’ve seen smart LED bulbs and other smart lighting technologies before, but the University of Cincinnati in Ohio is proposing a smarter (and more sensible) solution in lighting interiors of building green building.
How SmartLight works (Image from CleanTechnica.com)
SmartLight, developed by UC’s Anton Harfman and Jason Heikenfield, ingeniously channels sunlight to where it is needed, even in rooms that don’t have direct access to sunlight. Whereas existing lighting technologies harness the sun’s power and convert it to electricity and then to light energy, SmartLight distributes sunlight in its original form, illuminating building interiors in a more efficient way with little to nothing lost in the conversion.
The technology relies on a combination of electrofluidic cells and open-air ducts. These cells accumulate surplus energy and simply disperse throughout the rooms during the night.
Read more about UC’s SmartLight.
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Smart Water Meter for Guiltless Showers
Adding to the growing list of smart technology is a new line of self-powered smart water meters for green building and green homes.
Amphiro smart water meters for taking conscientious showers in the bathroom.
Amphiro A1 is a crowdfunded project on Indiegogo that aims to let users know their water usage in the bathroom as well as the power expended in heating water. With date of water and energy consumption displayed in real time, people will be more conscientious in taking those long showers, especially considering it is so easy to lose track of time when in the bathroom.
The smart device can be easily retrofitted in any handheld shower (unfortunately, shower lines embedded in the wall are out). There is no wi-fi for easy access and comparison of your water usage—you’ll have to head over yourself to the Amphiro website).
On the brighter side, this smart water meter is self-powered, relying only on the gush of water flowing it. The device’s GUI features an animated polar bear—the poster child for climate change)—happily sitting on an ice floe. Take too long in the shower, and that ice floe begins to melt, forcing the bear to swim back to safety. A cute, if not blatant way, of pushing guilt and giving motivation.
Combined with other water-saving features in the bathroom (efficient showerheads, solar-powered, energy star-rated water heaters, gray-water collection, etc.), the concept behind this smart water meter is definitely welcome.
Read more about Amphiro A1 Arctic Model on Treehugger.
