Apr 21 2009
Nanotechnology has been the talk of science for creating new drug delivery systems and making electronics smaller, but a U.S. company, Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Ticker: INTK), has brought nanotech down to earth and made it ‘green’ at the same time. The company’s approach to nanotechnology has been to create energy saving materials that are low cost and easy to use which has resulted in a groundbreaking way for both individuals and corporations to reduce energy consumption.
The company’s green nanotechnology-based products, under the brand name Nansulate®, were first launched in April of 2004, after 2 1/2 years and millions of dollars for development, and have put the next generation of insulation into the grateful homes and factories of the company’s customers. The results have been dramatic energy reductions of between 10%-40%, depending upon application type, with a thin film coating technology. By utilizing a nanomaterial which offers a way to insulate in a thin layer through use of low thermal conduction, the company has created a line of coatings that can insulate walls, ceilings, steam lines, pipes, and even race cars, effectively and affordably. Which means homeowners, building owners and factories use less energy, spend less money on energy, and reduce their carbon footprint.
A typical customer wrote in recently from Pennsylvania, “My issue is an 80 year old house without insulated walls. I was looking for an insulating option that I could tackle myself and that did not involve ripping down walls. Enter Nansulate. I keep a careful spreadsheet of heating expenses and so far I have used about 20% less than last year. And that is while I’m keeping the house 2-4 degrees warmer than before. I am quite happy and had a much more comfortable winter.”
Industrial applications have shown even more dramatic reduction in carbon emissions and energy use. The thermal coatings are used on steam and heat generating equipment in a variety of factories. One customer, Henateks Textile, reduced their energy costs by 20% with the coatings, which meant an extra $600,000 USD per year to their bottom line in saved energy costs.
For homeowners the extra money left over from their energy bill is motivation enough to try this new technology and share it with friends. The company reports a high rate of referral orders that come from customers who have experienced the technology for themselves and told friends, colleagues and family. The product may be hard to believe at first glance, but once people try it they see what the science behind the products can achieve - real energy savings in an affordable product, which also happens to be moisture, mold and corrosion resistant, another byproduct of nanotechnology.
While you may not have heard of this new technology yet, you may have experienced its invisible protection without knowing it. Nansulate® coatings are in use at the Seattle Museum of Flight where they are protecting the first jet airliner - the de Havilland Comet - from condensation and corrosion; at the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii where they are encapsulating lead-based paint on facility buildings. If you visited Bangkok Thailand, you would have walked through the airway bridges at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, where the coatings are applied to each bridge panel to reduce energy costs. And if you’re a fan of the Discovery Channel, you may have seen their ‘Greenovate’ eco-makeover show where the coatings were used to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy costs for a Southern California homeowner.
Through the use of cutting-edge science, a new insulation material has been born for a new generation focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reliance on petroleum based energy, and more importantly reducing their own energy associated costs.