http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/04/tech/smog-eating-tiles-california/index.html
By: Teo Kermeliotis
May 4, 2012
This photo shows these tiles on the roof of a house.
Summary: Is it possible for you to breath easier from your roof reducing the pollutants from urban air? Yes, says the vice president of technology at Boral Roofing, John Renowden. The company is a U.S business that introduced roof tile line that they claim to have pollution-bursting properties. The company is based in Los Angeles, and says the tiles improve air quality, from neutralizing the nitrogen oxides released by most vehicles. Titanium dioxide, the substance the tiles are coated in, can break down the nitrogen oxides in the air, turning them into calcium nitrate which is harmless and washes off your roof with precipitation. Over one year, the tiles can oxidize nitrogen oxides “equivalent to driving 10,000 miles a year in your car”, says Renowden. City dwellers are threatened by air pollution, and it is estimated to cause 2 milltion deaths a year around the world.
Opinion: I think it’s great that this company designed something that can improve air quality. Pollution is a big issue, especially since a lot of vehicles and factories pollute the sky, and these air-cleaning tiles are helpful to people that live in extremely smoggy areas. This reminds me of how our class discussed ways to help the environment and reduce air pollutions. Although these tiles do not help top air pollutions, they try to stop the issue before it gets out of hand. Overall, I hope more companies or ideas come out that can help the environment.
Questions:
1. If these tiles are successful, will it be adopted around our country replace our current roofing tiles?
2. What does the titanium dioxide do to break down the nitrogen oxides?
3. Will the titanium dioxide coating ever break down on the tiles? If it does, do the tiles require replacement or a new coating?
This is a really unique and interesting way to help reduce pollution. In modern days, the amount of pollutants that are released can be traced down to huge amounts released by cars and trucks. In class we talked about non-point pollution, and how hard it is to stop non-point source pollution, since it can enter in various ways. I think that using these smog tiles is a great thought out plan to help stop one of the types of non-point source pollution. Hopefully, soon enough these tiles will spread around the world and most people will switch to roofs composed of these tiles. I can only imagine how our air quality would boost if everyone switched to these roofs, considering that over a year they can oxidize nitrogen oxides equal to driving 10,000 miles a year in a vehicle. I wonder if there are any other ways that can be used similar to this one where other types of non-point pollutant sources could be decreased with another type of substance like titanium dioxide.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question #2
http://alanassad.com/sabbath/Elements/Inorganic/TiO2-Titanium%20Dioxide.pdf
The link above explains how titanium dioxide breaks down nitrogen oxide, and the different ways titanium dioxide functions. It also shows a few things where titanium dioxide is used and because of the fact that it is not toxic it has various uses. It explains the role of photo-catalyst in catching and interacting with sunligt.
http://www.active-ceramic.com/images/about/biossido_en.png
The above link provides a picture of how titanium dioxide interacts with substances like nitrogen oxide.
Opinion: This is a very creative way to reduce pollution. I think that this company should try to advertise and get their product out there. If just one whole neighborhood adopts these roof tiles, we could prevent alot of pollution from entering the air. I think that many people worry about appearance when it comes to alternative energy and stopping pollution, but from the picture of the tiles the tiles are attractive and could add color to people's roofs. Since these tiles will be a huge help to city dwellers, I think city building and apartments just adopt these tiles on their roof. This reminds me of in class when we were talking about Mrs. Deluca's Pruis car. She lives in the city and is help stopping air pollution that comes from cars and trucks by driving her Pruis. These tiles can also help stop air pollution. If more people in the city start worrying about air pollution and either adopt these roof tiles or start to drive a Pruis alot of the air pollution in city areas will be decreased.
ReplyDeleteExpansion: This is Boral Roofing's website. Here is information about the tiles and purchasing them. This website also displays picture of houses that have adopted the tiles. The website also includes a video (second link) about the tiles and what they do to help the environment. The video states that the tiles are long lasting, environment friendly and will allow algae or moss to be easily washed off with rain or a hose.
http://boralna.com/rooftiles/rooftiles.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtq7l183WtQ&feature=player_embedded
I think this idea is fantastic! I would have never thought of something like this and I am glad someone did. With having all the air pollution we have today and what it can do to us as a country in the future can hurt our air supplies and this is a great way to keep that supply clean. This connect to me because I plant to one day live in California, maybe in Los Angeles and if the air is polluted, I wouldn’t have clean and safe air to breath in. I hope in the near future, more inventors and engineers come up with ideas like this one to help better our environments.
ReplyDeleteAnswer for question 1: Where there is an air pollution problem like in cities, the roofs will probably be replaced. But in places like the countryside where there isn’t a lot of pollution, the roofs will probably not need to be replaced.
Opinion: WOW! I think this is an amzaing idea and I would have never thought that someone couls come up with something like this. I wish there was a company like this based in PA. With all the pollution issues circling around the US it is about time someone came up with an idea like this. Taking the pollutions of the air, even if it is one city at a time, is still a huge step in the right direction. A connection I have with this is that I have been to California once and my family is planning on going back in the near future. So hopefully if I do end up going back I will be breathing clean and safe air instead of polluted air. I also hope the Philly gets to doing something along the lines of this in the near future.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question 1: I sure hope something like this will be adopted all over the country if it really start to work. I even hope that other countries will have something like this, to make out world a better place. But as much as I hope, some people will not like the look of the roof or will not have the money to put something like this on their homes. Even it rural areas, there is still pollution, and I think that if it works, everyone should have these roofs.