The article Smart window: Glazing darkens at the touch of a button first appeared in the online magazine BASIC thinking. With our newsletter UPDATE you can start the day well informed every morning.
Smart windows offer potential for reducing the energy requirements of heating, cooling and lighting in buildings. With the help of electrochromic glass, these windows can be darkened within seconds with the push of a button. This opens up new possibilities for efficient sun and heat protection in buildings.
Global spending on the construction of energy-efficient buildings has increased steadily in recent years, reaching around $255 billion in 2022. According to forecasts This could exceed $570 billion annually by 2030.
Materials and technologies are increasingly being used that reduce the energy requirements of buildings. In addition to high-quality insulation materials, efficient heating and cooling systems and intelligent building technology, this also includes modern windows.
While heating, cooling and lighting account for a large proportion of final energy consumption, windows with conventional glazing have so far contributed to a significant proportion of this energy being wasted. Because solar radiation and heat can pass through them largely uncontrolled.
Scientists have therefore been working for years on the development of electrochromic glass, which could significantly increase the energy efficiency of buildings. Researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics have developed a dual-band electrochromic window that can be controlled electrically and can regulate both visible light and thermal radiation very strongly – by more than 70 percent.
Is this what the smart window of the future looks like?
The research team has developed a dual-band electrochromic window that can regulate visible light and near-infrared radiation separately. To do this, the window uses a very thin coating made of special materials – as soon as an electrical voltage is applied, ions are embedded in this layer or released again.
This changes the optical properties and the glass changes color and transparency. This means the glass can remain clear or be significantly darkened.
This makes it possible to control how much visible light and how much thermal radiation flows in. This saves energy for heating or cooling, but also increases living comfort.
The glass developed by researchers at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics was able to influence both light and heat transmittance by more than 70 percent. The system also showed only a few capacity losses of 3.3 percent even after 10,000 switching cycles.
The researchers’ tests also demonstrated high energy saving performance. The temperature passing through the glass was 8.8 degrees Celsius lower than with conventional glass.
Is this smart window suitable for everyday use?
In addition to the system’s ability to switch quickly, its longevity is also crucial for use in buildings. For this purpose, researchers from China have developed a novel metal-organic framework compound.
This acts as an electrochromically active layer and promotes rapid ion transport. So let it be according to the researchers produce a homogeneous layer just a few micrometers thick.
This can remain transparent and still use its properties for targeted color changes. This creates a window that can effectively regulate light without losing clarity or stability.
However, since only small areas have been tested for this technology so far, it could still be some time before these smart windows are ready for the market. Nevertheless, they offer great potential for increasing the efficiency of buildings.
Also interesting:
- Activate temporary chat on ChatGPT: Everything you need to know
- Find free WiFi: EU app shows over 100,000 hotspots
- Smartphone AI: Apple, Google and Samsung in comparison
- Researchers are developing a method to produce hydrogen without electricity
The article Smart window: Glazing darkens at the touch of a button appeared first on BASIC thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard or subscribe to our newsletter UPDATE.
As a Tech Industry expert, I find the concept of a smart window with glazing that darkens at the push of a button to be a fascinating and innovative advancement in the field of smart building technology. This feature not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of a building, but also offers practical benefits such as privacy, energy efficiency, and glare reduction.
The ability to control the level of tinting on a window with a simple push of a button provides users with greater flexibility and customization options for their living or working spaces. This feature could be particularly useful in office buildings, where employees may need to adjust the amount of natural light entering a room to reduce glare on computer screens or improve their concentration.
From a sustainability standpoint, smart windows with adjustable tinting can help to reduce the need for artificial lighting and heating or cooling systems, ultimately leading to lower energy consumption and cost savings. This is especially important as buildings account for a significant portion of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Overall, I believe that smart windows with glazing that darkens at the push of a button have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with our built environment, creating more comfortable, efficient, and sustainable spaces for people to live and work in.
Credits