A nanostructured environmental sensor (100, 600) comprising: a silicon based substrate; a structural base assembly located above the silicon based substrate and comprising a first set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140) disposed on a top surface of the substrate and a second set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140) disposed on a bottom surface of the substrate; a first sensor portion suspended above the substrate by the first set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140); and a second sensor portion suspended above the substrate by the second set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140); wherein each of the first sensor portion and the second sensor portion comprises: a sensor layer, wherein a top surface of the sensor layer is a top surface of its sensor portion (122, 622), an insulator layer, a seed layer, and a heater layer disposed between the insulator layer and the seed layer of its sensor portion (122, 622), wherein the seed layer is configured to electrically isolate the sensor layer of its sensor portion (122, 622) from the heater layer of the same sensor portion (122, 622), and wherein a top surface of the sensor portion is formed from at least one of nickel oxide, copper oxide, or chromium oxide using atomic layer deposition. a silicon based substrate; a structural base assembly located above the silicon based substrate and comprising a first set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140) disposed on a top surface of the substrate and a second set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140) disposed on a bottom surface of the substrate; a first sensor portion suspended above the substrate by the first set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140); and a second sensor portion suspended above the substrate by the second set of two sensing pillars (134, 136) and two heating pillars (138, 140); wherein each of the first sensor portion and the second sensor portion comprises: a sensor layer, wherein a top surface of the sensor layer is a top surface of its sensor portion (122, 622), an insulator layer, a seed layer, and a heater layer disposed between the insulator layer and the seed layer of its sensor portion (122, 622), wherein the seed layer is configured to electrically isolate the sensor layer of its sensor portion (122, 622) from the heater layer of the same sensor portion (122, 622), and wherein a top surface of the sensor portion is formed from at least one of nickel oxide, copper oxide, or chromium oxide using atomic layer deposition. a sensor layer, wherein a top surface of the sensor layer is a top surface of its sensor portion (122, 622), an insulator layer, a seed layer, and a heater layer disposed between the insulator layer and the seed layer of its sensor portion (122, 622), wherein the seed layer is configured to electrically isolate the sensor layer of its sensor portion (122, 622) from the heater layer of the same sensor portion (122, 622), and wherein a top surface of the sensor portion is formed from at least one of nickel oxide, copper oxide, or chromium oxide using atomic layer deposition.