How To See Through Walls?

Bricks that heal, paint that never stains and air conditioned beds, let us show you around the home of the tomorrow you could build today...

- Luke Edwards

OUTSIDE

ENERGY

Renewable energy sources are what the future is all about. They help homes become self-reliant and go off-grid. That’s great if you’re expecting the zombie apocalypse, but renewable energy is also practical, saves money, helps the environment and increases the value of a property. Some energy suppliers even pay you to pump juice back into the grid.

The Smartflower POP is one of the most attractive and efficient examples of solar panels yet. Smartflower POP will ‘bloom’ open in the morning and close up at night. So it’s space-efficient, too. Best of all, you can take it with you when you move!

WALLS

Self-healing is no longer reserved for video game characters: buildings can do it too. Scientists have created a coating that contains microcapsules. When a coated concrete surface becomes damaged, the capsules break open and release a solution, which fills the crack and turns into a water-resistant solid when exposed to sunlight.

PAINT

Self-cleaning paint is one development aimed at keeping houses looking new. One company, StoLotusan, has developed a paint that won’t let water adhere to it. Slap it on your property, then when it rains, any dirt will be lifted from the surfaces of the walls and washed away. Plus, as the paint doesn’t get damp, microorganisms such as algae, fungi and bacteria can’t survive, so it’s cleaner and more hygienic than most normal walls. The fact it’s available in 500 colours is just a bonus.

SECURITY