• On-site research in hospitals, laboratories, restaurants, and other extreme-demand facilities

• In-depth interviews with architects and facility managers

• Studied each surfaces aesthetic qualities, functionality, and maintenance demands

• Material attributes were defined that helped DuPont prioritize its development efforts

From molecular science to market reality

With its unparalleled technology horsepower, DuPont had accumulated a warehouse full of raw molecular inventions, but had been unable to match them to compelling commercial applications. By examining the structural environments of hospitals, laboratories, restaurants, and other extreme-demand facilities, the field research discovered how architects and facility managers were working to make material choices that strike a balance between maintenance needs and decorative qualities. This allowed the research team to define the attributes of new materials for commercial facilities. DuPont prioritized its development efforts, narrowing 180 programs to six next-generation products.