Buildings that eat smog

The company Alcoa makes aluminum panels that are coated with a substance that breaks down the smog-causing compound nitrogen oxide. The titanium dioxide coating interacts with sunlight to break down nitrogen oxide into a harmless substance that just washes off the building where the panel is installed. The company claims that 10,000 square feet of the aluminum panels has the same detoxifying effect as 80 trees. Although the panels would have to be installed on a large scale in order to make affect smog levels, the idea of buildings cleaning the air is the kind of ideas that we need to preserve air quality. I like how science is being employed to solve the issue. Of course the government also has a responsibility to preserve air quality for its citizens through legislation and regulation.