Presenting a number of unusual materials that are being developed or are starting to be used in buildings to improve performance, especially energy performance. Possible items to discuss include: controllable glass, home energy generation appliances & home energy storage, insulation materials, processes for preserving wood for exterior use, alternatives and variants of concrete, wood-based plastics. Not necessarily a checklist of things you can buy and install today, but an introduction to some of the possibilities and the technology being used to create interesting materials that have application for homeowners as well as hardware hackers.