The development of novel, durable, low-surface energy coatings with antifouling (ice, insects, biofouling etc.) and low friction properties is believed to be a promising direction for research with benefit to the transportation, construction and power generation sectors. Conventional coatings and surface treatments have not been successful in this area because of a lack of long-term durability and limited repellency of environmental fouling agents. New nanostructured coatings, which can be deposited from the liquid state, offer a potential solution that can be easily industrially adopted. However, there is a lack of standardization regarding their characterization and performance evaluation. The strategy selected by TWI and Brunel University to link the properties and structure of high-performance coatings from the nano to macro scale is described and is illustrated by the presentation of some provisional results. Functionalised nanostructured silica species have been used to reinforce an acrylate matrix leading to retention of the hydrophobicity even after aggressive abrasive wear. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.