What do smart windows do?
With people's growing demands for home environment.
Taditional functional doors and windows can no longer meet people's demand for intelligent and convenient use.
Smart windows are transforming the way we control light, heat and privacy in our living and working places.
We will take a deep look at the various smart windows provided by Smart Glass to help you find the product that best meets your needs.
What are smart windows?
Smart windows use smart glass technology to automatically adjust brightness and insulation based on light and temperature.
In addition, adding other sensors can achieve more operations.
We can automatically ventilate when the air quality is poor through installed quality sensor.
We can automatically control heating and cooling by installing temperature sensor.
We also can automatically close the window when it detects rain through installed wind and rain sensor.
Think about how we can remotely control windows through remote controls, mobile apps, voice, etc.
It even connects to smart home systems, which greatly improves the convenience of our living quality.
Types of smart windows
To achieve what existing glass can't, smart glass incorporates special technologies for advanced functionality.
Several types of smart windows that are currently available in the market. The most common types are as follows:
Electrochromic Window
EC Windows can act to change their transparency by low-voltage current.
Applying voltage triggers a color or transparency change in the electrochromic layer through a reversible chemical reaction.
It can control the light transmittance of windows and the intensity of natural light entering the room.
Thereby reducing the use of indoor air conditioning and lighting, and reducing energy costing.
Commercial buildings, airplanes, and cars now mostly use this type of window.
Provides personalized light control and privacy protection.
Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal
(PDLC)Film Window
These windows use electricity to instantly switch between clear and frosted by realigning liquid crystals.
Unlike EC windows, it is cheaper and easier to install.
These windows only use electricity when switching between clear and frosted. They require constant power to stay transparent, and return to frosted when turned off.
It has a faster response speed and is suitable for fast-switching scenes.
(such as office partitions, conference room, and projection screens)
Suspended particle devices (SPD) windows
A smart glass that changes tint on demand, using SPD technology to control light and privacy with electricity.
Applying an electric current makes the SPD particles line up, turning the glass transparent.
Use it instead of curtains to freely adjust the light transparency and choose the indoor light that suits you.
Thermotropic windows
These windows intelligently adapt their transparency and thermal insulation in response to temperature changes.
Thermotropic materials change their physical or chemical properties at a specific temperature to change the transparency of the window.
Unlike EC windows, these change transparency based solely on temperature ,we can't control them manually.
These windows automatically darken to block heat when it is hot. They turn clear when it is cold, which greatly improves energy efficiency.
Photochromic windows
Photochromic windows are smart windows that can automatically adjust light transmittance according to UV intensity.
Under UV light, this type of glass changes its structure. These changes are reversible, making the glass darker or less clear.
The response speed is slow. Moreover, this change is uncontrollable and has certain limitations.
Benefits of smart windows
Compared to traditional windows, just a small piece of glass can provide the following benefits:
Energy Saving
Smart windows are a smart investment in energy efficiency.
They keep indoor temperatures stable by blocking heat from passing through windows.
This approach reduces heating costs and cooling while enhancing comfort throughout the year.
Cost-effective
Smart windows can cut building energy use by 20-30%, according to a united states department of energy study.
The effect is even more significant in extreme climates.
Reduce artificial lighting costs by maximizing natural light.
Save energy and reduce costs in the long term by reducing the need for air conditioning.
Comfort
Smart windows can block a certain amount of light from passing through a room by adjusting transparency.
This helps regulate indoor temperatures by blocking excess solar heat in summer.
And retaining warmth in winter, keeping buildings comfortable year-round.
Control
Smart windows give you full control-automatically adjusting their tint based on your preset preferences for light and privacy.
This helps in maintaining a consistent indoor environment and reduces the need for manual intervention.
