Window of opportunity for sun protection at Utopia
A Brisbane apartment project is set to revolutionise residential high-rise living by offering ‘smart glass' technology that eliminates 99% of UV rays and offers residents sun protection never seen before in Australia.
Sandt Developments is investing millions of dollars to incorporate the nano-glass feature in its revolutionary $180 million Utopia residential apartments in Fortitude Valley.
Professor Huai Yong Zhu, a specialist in nano-glass technology from Queensland University of Technology, has hailed the world class innovation as a major step forward for Australia’s residential construction industry.
“Titanium dioxide is the main component of nano-glass and it essentially acts as a coating which absorbs UV light and breaks down the organic compounds,” he said.
“Normal glass only cuts UV rays by about 10% – so nano-glass will offer significantly greater protection from harsh Australian UV light.
“The titanium dioxide coating also creates a self-cleaning function, which eliminates the need for manual cleaning, saving an otherwise substantial cost.
“It’s an astute move by the developer considering Brisbane’s climate and high rates of skin cancer in Australia.”
Nano-glass technology originated in Japan in 1995 and has since been used in Asia, Europe and the USA.
Professor Zhu said its introduction locally reflected Australians’ embrace of the sun smart message.
“But we haven’t embraced it to the extent of the rest of the world – in Asia, for example, people are very astute when it comes to sun protection,” he said.
“The smart glass innovation will set a precedent for future residential construction in Australia.”
Utopia’s development manager, Bill Wang said not only would the nano-glass protect residents from sunlight, it would help cut the cost of power bills.
“The nano-glass not only blocks UV rays, it also reduces the Infra-red rays. This effectively keeps the internal room temperature cool, therefore reducing the need for air conditioning,” he said.
“We anticipate power bills could be cut by at least 20% .”
The 24-level Utopia is the first in a number of Brisbane projects by Sandt developments, headed by Bill Wang and Ben Collins backed by a consortium of foreign investors.
