Pictures of the Future   Fall 2007

Invisible Revolutionaries

Nano-particles on the outer facade of the new, high-tech Retro Hotel replace air conditioners (1). The hotel’s floors are water and dirt repellent (2). Light fibers are woven into garments (3). Ceramic coatings on turbine blades (4) ensure high energy efficiency. Supercaps (5) store braking energy from a shuttle rail system, and nano particle car paints repair small scratches themselves (6)

It’s hot outside—which goes well with the "Ancient Rome" theme. I’ve got to hurry or else I’ll be late. It’s great that the new hotel’s administration set up an information event like this for hotel managers like me. And I’m really excited about what I’m going to see here, especially because our own hotel is in dire need of refurbishment. One thing we really need to do is lower our energy consumption. Hey, this building looks really cool shimmering in the sunlight. Wow, it’s iridescent. Now it’s red, now it’s blue, now it’s purple… "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our new High-tech Retro Hotel. I’m very pleased to be able to tell you everything about our new jewel today," says the hotel’s manager proudly.

Oh no, sounds a like a long tour. "But first let me offer you some refreshments," she continues. Nice, ice-cold juice in a Roman chalice—very refreshing. But wait: What are those gowns? They don’t expect me to wear a toga here, do they? "Everything here fits in perfectly with our theme. Go ahead, try on the functional outfits made by one of our partner companies. Flexible energy storage units are integrated into the fabric, and these supply power to light diodes woven into the clothing. Those tiny spot lights are also name tags." Good idea! Much better than normal name tags.

"Now, please follow me over here. The building’s outer facade is truly amazing. The wall paint contains metallic nano-particles that function like an air conditioner by only letting in heat from the sun when the rooms inside aren’t warm enough. When the outside temperature drops below 23 °C, the nano-particles are trapped in a kind of protective casing, which means the heat rays can penetrate the building. When the temperature goes above 23 °C, the material properties of the protective casing change and the nano-particles are freed-up, so to speak, after which they resume their job of reflecting heat. On hot days like this they act as an insulator." Wow—it’s amazing what nanotechnology can do these days. The other hotel managers also look impressed.

"And what do you think of the facade itself?" the charming hotel manager asks. "Depending on the temperature and the angle of sunlight, our hotel shimmers in different colors. There are also additional nano-particles in the exterior paint that make the facade water- and dirt-repellent." No fun for graffiti artists here.

"Up on the roof you can see our large solar power unit, which supplies hot water. We also have other state-of-the-art solar cells with a sequence of layers that provide for optimal utilization of sunlight. These cells provide electricity for our 3D light walls that display Roman sculptures, temples, and everyday scenes.

"In addition, we get power from wind and geothermal facilities in the area, so our CO² balance is very impressive, as you might imagine. In fact, rather than having to purchase CO² certificates, we’re actually able to sell them.

"And speaking of energy supplies, if you’ve got some time later, you should have a look at the combined cycle power plant, which is right nearby. As a lover of art, I have to say I think the facility’s architecture is outstanding—but those of you who are more interested in technology will find it fascinating too. So take a look, and make sure the technicians there tell you about some of the secrets of nano-coatings.

"Now please follow me into the lobby." As it turns out, the lobby is a lighting paradise, and I’m sure it uses a lot of electricity… "We have a sophisticated and extremely energy-efficient system here that consists of energy-saving lamps, light-emitting diodes, sensors, and high-tech electronics. All of this has reduced energy consumption by nearly 80 % compared to what used to be the norm. All corridors and rooms have motion detectors, and we also mix natural and artificial light, which not only makes for a more natural lighting atmosphere, but also conserves energy. Anybody suffering from jet lag—and that’s almost everybody these days—can recuperate with a light-pulse shower in our Roman thermal baths." Hey, and they even have splashing water, dim lights, carafes with wine, scented oils, a massage table—oh, I almost tripped into a fountain over there. What’s that strange vibration under my feet? The hotel manager grins. "You’re lucky! Anyone who gets too close to our fountain of youth, as we call it, gets a warning from vibration sensors integrated into the floor." I look down and see a beautiful ancient Roman mosaic floor. "The mosaic in the lobby, as well as the furniture are sealed with a dirt-repellent nano-coating," the manager continues. "The front desk and the furniture in the rooms are made of organic plastics—it’s hard to believe that this antique-looking chair over here is made of starch or sugar, don’t you think?

We like to use environmentally friendly materials because we generally change our hotel theme once or twice a year, including all interior furniture. No fossil fuels are needed to manufacture the furniture. And when disposed of, the furniture releases no more carbon dioxide than the plants from which it is made absorbed from the air while they were alive. All decomposition products are non-toxic as well. Oh, please wait a second; I just got an urgent message from our security service. Excuse me, does anyone here own a sedan with gull-wing doors, license plate M-UZ-2000?"

Oh, that’s mine... "It seems a guest at our hotel bumped your car while parking, but it doesn’t look like anything serious." Oh no! I just got that car three months ago! I better go take a look. Luckily, it turns out to be only a small scratch that’ll heal by itself, because in just a few hours the nano-based body paint will regenerate. So no need to go to the repair shop. And at least the car’s been broken in now. O.K., let me get back to the tour; it’s really exciting.

"In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to show you our rail shuttle. The high-tech Retro Hotel sponsored construction of a new environmentally-friendly commuter rail system and also shares the cost of operating it. This rail system, which received an environmental award recently, features rail cars equipped with electric motors and double-layer capacitors, so-called supercaps. By harnessing the kinetic energy released when the train brakes, the motors serve as generators. The energy thus gained is stored in the supercaps and re-used when the train begins moving again.

"This energy recuperation system alone reduces power consumption by up to 25 %. I really would have liked to have shown you our hotel rooms, which have been presented with a design award. But since we’re fully booked, I hope you’ll understand that I can’t do that. As a small consolation, we’re going to give each of you a Roman toga and a hotel gift certificate for a one-night stay. I hope to be able to welcome all of you here again next year, when our theme will be: ‘In the Court of the Sun King.’" Well, I think I got some pretty good ideas for our hotel. Maybe we should also have special themes like "In the House of Cleopatra," or "Lost in Space."
                                                                                                           Ulrike Zechbauer