Comparative assessment of traditional maintenance process and self-cleaning process of building materials used on facades

During the service life of building materials, maintenance is required. Effective maintenance that will be applied in this process could extend the service life. In our country; during the lifespan of the buildings, neither enough attention for the maintenance is given nor is the necessary budget allocated. Allocation of the required budget is an important factor for the reduction of maintenance costs. In this context, building products produced by developing technology is expected to reduce maintenance costs. There is an interaction between the building and its environment during the lifespan. Environmental problems are rising with the increased industrialization. Especially industrial pollution has negative effect on both environment and lifespan of the buildings [1]. Air pollution, one of the types of environmental pollution, has negative effects on outer surfaces of buildings. Outer surfaces of buildings, that need maintenance at most, have lost their visual effects in a short time because of the atmospheric pollution. Because of the increasing air pollution and deposition of the harmful gases in the atmosphere to the outer surfaces of buildings by the climatic conditions; outer surfaces are contaminated and need maintenance in a short time of period. With the development of technology, as well as the increasing diversity of building materials, gained new features of materials occupies an important place in the construction sector. With the use of nanotechnology in the construction sector also has added many features to the building materials. One of them, with a self-cleaning feature, extension of maintenance period of building materials due to maintenance costs are expected to fall. To eliminate air pollution and its negative effects; improving self-cleaning and environmental-friendly construction materials are very important. By the application of self-cleaning construction materials, it is expected that outer surfaces could stay clean for longer period of time. In this study; it is aimed to examine the existing maintenance processes and self-cleaning property of concrete, paint, glass and ceramic – that used on outer surfaces. In this study; air pollution, atmospheric pollution, the concept of care, self-cleaning feature of nanotechnology, nano-materials which enable self-cleaning building materials were examined and examples of building which are produced with these materials and performed experiments were featured. The building materials which have this feature used in facades; concrete, paint, glass and ceramics are examined. Material selection which is important for the maintenance process of the building is stated in order to make an assessment in the scope of this thesis. The products examined in this study, discussed in terms of the care process, positive and negative characteristics are determined. The companies, that are producing nano-technological construction materials in our country, are contacted and detailed information is obtained. In the light of information obtained, in this study, the comparison of the commonly used construction materials to nano-technological construction materials are made in the point of maintenance processes. In order to compare materials, there are some criteria determined and by giving scale value of these criteria, the benefit values have been found. In accordance with predefined criteria, with the value analysis method self-cleaning building materials compared with commonly used building materials. Keywords: Air pollution, maintenance-repair, nanotechnology, lotus effect, photocatalysis, self-cleaning, material selection