New Materials May Have End Users Craving Innovation 10/9/2006
Long before McDonald's launched into the fast food industry, another burger chain was serving up some home-grown innovation. As loyal White Castle fans know, it patented the five-hole "Slyder," which channels steam up through a ground-beef patty to heat the burger and bun with- out flipping. The design created a unique flavor that had economic benefits—faster cooking times meant more sales per hour.
Today, the construction industry is cooking up its own innovative products by tapping into an ever-growing supply of dazzling new building materials and systems. Designers, who now are more sensitive to environmental causes, want to create buildings and infrastructure that perform well, look good and blend organically into their surroundings.