Nanowood is heat-insulating material made from wood, that is considered a slightly better insulator than Styrofoam. Unlike Styrofoam, the material is more environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It is considered light, strong and created entirely from stripped-down wood fibers.[1]
The material was invented by engineer, Liangbing Hu and his team at University of Maryland, College Park. The material "when exposed to the solar spectrum" reflected approximately 95% of radiation energy absorbing only approximately 2%. Silica aerogel "absorbed approximately 20% and transmits approximately 60% of the radiative heat" according to study authors.[2] Nanowood could potentially save "billions in energy costs" according to Tian Li, a team member.[3]