Antimicrobial and self cleaning coatings in building engineering 2026 Next M

Surface engineering technologies, which can improve hygiene while lower the environmental impact associated with maintenance, have broader applicability and are being increasingly researched to meet the demand for low-carbon and net-zero buildings. Multifunctional solutions can be achieved with antimicrobial and self-cleaning coatings with applications to suppress microbial growth, restricting the spreading of surface or contact contamination and reducing water, energy and chemical-intensive cleaning processes. The goal of this review is to investigate recent advancements in these coatings, with a focus on their relevance for maintenance decarbonization from a building-engineering perspective. This Review discusses fundamental mechanisms such as antimicrobial activity and self-cleaning behavior along with emerging material systems and fabrication strategies that enable these developments for large-scale building applications. The key engineering performance characteristics, namely durability, weathering resistance, functional stability and compatibility with the substrate are examined thoroughly in realistic service conditions. The life-cycle carbon reduction attributable to these coatings is evaluated against two primary non-mutually exclusive approaches operational, through maintenance avoidance and embodied, through much greater service-life extension. Reviewing various field applications will focus on issues associated with scale, durability, environmental exposure.