ABSTRACT
In buildings, materials and structures must be safe (under construction, in service and during demolition), durable (typically for 60-120 years), low cost, low maintenance and of predictable properties. Systems or materials that are ‘smart’ can sense a change in the environment, such as a rise in temperature or an increase in light intensity, and respond by effecting a compensatory change, such as a reduction in temperature or a change in glazing from clear to different degrees of opacity. The challenge for smart technologies is to create enough ‘added value’ to justify associated increases in initial outlay.
