Approximately 110 people had found their way to an ice cold but beautiful white scenery at RISØ, which was the setting for The NanoByg Vision and Innovations Workshop on January the 22nd in Roskilde.
With an ambitious program and international speakers from Spain and USA, the workshop was well visited and represented by a broad audience including both industry, academia, governmental- and non-governmental institutions (e.g. nano scientists, architects, construction specialists, engineers, construction scientists, designers and innovation scientists)
The NanoByg workshop marks the “closing chapter” of a report, handed in to the funding organ Realdania, by the NanoByg project group. The project group (view group members here) have been working since October, on mapping out the possibilities for innovation within the needs of the construction sector and the emerging nano technological opportunities. The objective of the workshop was to get a common understanding on future possible areas of cooperation.
Guest Speakers
From USA, Peter Yeadon from Nanoarchitecture.net started out the day with a strong vision for the potential of nanotechnology in architecture and future design. Mr. Yeadon is the founder of nanoarchitecture.net, which was established last year and is dedicated to track emerging developments in nanotechnology that will revolutionize design and architecture.
Mr. Yeadon is a strong believer in the possibility that nanotechnology has great potential in solving environmental problems as well as the global climate changes. www.nanoarchitecture.net
The second speaker from Spain was Mr. Antonio Porro from NANOC (Centre for Nanomaterials Applications in Construction in Bilbao) NANOC research aims to develop better, stronger and sustainable materials for construction. For example better materials to reduce release of CO2 in construction or high performance insulation to reduce energy waste.
www.nanoc.info
From a business point of view SCF Technologies presented an overview of “Active surfaces in buildings”. Technical Director Steen Brummerstedt Iversen gave a layout on the SCF Technologies research and their 6 patented products. The SCF research is based on high pressure technology and is able to create sustainable solutions for social- and environmental problems like obesity, waste and lack of resources like oil. www.scf-technologies.com
From The Danish Technical University – came associate professor Erik V. Thomsen at Institute of Micro- and nanotechnology. Mr. Thomsen gave an inspiring talk on “Sensors everywhere!” The MIC institute is doing substantial research in sensors and gave examples from their “fish n’chips” project aswell as how to create sensor “patches” for humans. Erik Thomsen urged the audience to approach him with ideas to how sensors can make a difference in developing better and smarter construction. www.mic.dtu.dk
Mikkel Thomassen from Byggeriets Innovation, Realdania – started his talk out by asking the audience, if we infact need new technology in the construction industry? Mr. Thomassen called for a “need to innovate the way we innovate” as the construction industry is a fragmented industry, that has only little room for innovation. www.byggerietsinnovation.dk
After all the interesting talks by both scientists and industry – 9 specialists was invited to host a panel discussion also engaging the highly motivated audience. The core question remained throughout the day:
How do we create innovation?
Read more about NanoByg and download the guestspeaker presentations.
