Innovative window technology and materials allow for increased energy efficiency and a reduction in carbon footprint. They also enable building owners to achieve green certifications that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
New materials offer enhanced protection from gunfire, explosions and forced entry without sacrificing transparency or aesthetics. These window innovations may seem more suited to the Syfy channel than your home, but they’re on their way!
Double-Glazed Windows
The biggest benefit of double-glazed windows is that they save energy. This is because they keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer, preventing energy waste. This also reduces the load on air conditioners and heating systems, further lowering energy bills.
A single pane of glass isn’t very insulating but when two panes are fitted side-by-side with an air-filled gap between them, this increases the window’s insulation value by up to five times. This is called double glazing and is a common feature in modern homes.
In addition, the spacer bars that separate the two glass panes can now be manufactured from materials with low thermal conductivity and a higher durability. This makes them more energy efficient and helps to prevent condensation and mold from forming between the panes of glass.
Furthermore, the gaps between the glass are filled with an inert gas such as dehydrated air, argon or even krypton. These gases have a better thermal performance than air, which means that they can insulate the windows more effectively.
Further innovations in glazing technologies include low-emissivity coatings on the glass and innovative spacer bars that use desiccants to minimize moisture between the glass panes. These innovations have helped to significantly increase the energy efficiency of double-glazed windows. Furthermore, the durable spacer bars and enhanced sealing products used in the manufacturing of double-glazed windows can significantly extend their lifespan, reducing waste materials and further lowering costs through lower energy consumption over time.
Low-E Glass
Low-E glass is an insulating window technology. The super-thin coating helps to reduce solar energy transfer and keeps heat in the house during the winter months. It is usually used in conjunction with other energy efficiency features such as multiple panes and argon gas fills to enhance thermal performance.
Essentially, this coating acts as a filter for certain energy wavelengths – it allows light in while reflecting out long wavelengths of infrared radiation (heat). This means the heat from your furnace or the sun won’t escape through the window, keeping it warmer in your home.
Modern low-e glass coatings are produced using a sputter process to deposit thin layers of metal on the surface of a standard piece of float glass. The results are nearly invisible, but the coating significantly improves a window’s energy efficiency.
In addition to helping to prevent incidental solar radiation, it also limits the amount of UV rays that can enter the home. The resulting glass has low emissivity and helps to limit heating or cooling costs, making it a great choice for any climate zone.
When combined with other energy efficient features, such as a warm air space or argon gas fills, it is possible to create windows with a U-factor less than 0.15. This can dramatically reduce a building’s energy consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
Gas Chromic Glazing
As building owners seek ways to improve energy efficiency, innovations in glazing technology continue to emerge. These new technologies are designed to reduce cooling consumption, harvest solar energy, and create better daylighting conditions for occupants.
One such innovation is gaschromic glazing, which uses a single-micron coating of tungsten oxide to sense sunlight. When light hits the sensor, it triggers diluted hydrogen to tint the window cavity or oxygen to clear it. The result is a window that both blocks light and provides natural, controlled illumination. This type of smart glazing can also be paired with photovoltaics to capture solar energy for use in the building.
Thermochromic glazing is another innovation that offers superior energy efficiency compared to traditional glass. It uses a thermochromic material such as vanadium dioxide (VO2) to achieve its energy-saving properties. This material can change its state from transparent to infrared reflective when it is heated. VO2 is particularly attractive for this application because it has a critical transition temperature Tc of around 68 degC, which is very close to room temperature.
While there are many different types of smart windows on the market, they can be broadly classified into two categories – passive and active systems. Passive systems operate based on reflection, while active systems have an electrically controlled mechanism that can alter the glass’s status.
Switchable Glazing
Many of the latest advancements in window technology have a profound impact on sustainability. They reduce energy costs and improve comfort, while also allowing homeowners to achieve green certifications and more. In fact, smart windows can save up to 15% on energy consumption compared to traditional single or double glass.
Researchers have been working on a variety of innovative window technologies that can change their transmission to adapt to different environmental conditions. For instance, some windows have been engineered to automatically transition from clear to dark as the sun moves across the sky. The tinting changes are activated by heat, and they allow for energy efficiency while limiting glare and UV damage. Other innovations include windows that generate electricity using photovoltaic cells and a traditional frame without affecting transparency.
In addition to these innovative window materials, advances in frames and installation techniques have helped increase energy efficiency as well. For example, new framing materials are now made from fibreglass and aluminium-clad wood, which offer durability and reduced maintenance for homeowners.
Other innovative window materials are being designed to protect people and wildlife from threats such as gunfire, explosions and forced entry without compromising transparency or aesthetics. For example, some windows are patterned with dots to make it harder for birds to fly into them. Other windows are designed to reflect the sun’s rays, which would otherwise burn a bird’s wings.