The various aspects of sensor coatings that fall into the category of smart coatings are discussed. Smart coatings are formulations that are able to respond to various performance challenges due to changes in the coating's environment after application. When applied to a substrate, sensor coating film can chemically participate with species already present on the substrate or react with chemical components that subsequently contaminate the film. Major focuses for enhancing the environmentally friendly characteristics of coatings include the production of cleaner coatings and application of coatings with reduced volatile organics.