Smart-tinting glass: A window to greener Asian cities

With urbanization and climate change influencing the development of Asian cities, building materials like glass need to evolve and utilize innovations in technology to bring about a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Smart-tinting glass technology

Technology, of course, is the answer.

While the sun can power solar panels and roof tiles to create sustainable energy, it can also have a negative impact on the energy efficiency of a building. Installing smart-tinting windows can reduce a building’s energy consumption by 20 percent

Smart-tinting glass dynamically changes between clear and dark, through the course of a day, based on data from thermal and light sensors, time of day, the sun’s position, and other data. Whereas manual shades and blinds tend to stay down, smart-tinting glass maximizes the amount of natural brightness in a building by blocking light – as much as 99.9 percent in some products - and clearing as the environment warrants.

How does it work? Two thin layers of glass, each with a microscopically-thin conductive coating with layers of chemical compounds sandwiched between the two panes, change the optical characteristics of the glass when a low-voltage electrical charge is applied; ions move between materials to darken or clear the glass.

As electricity is only used during switching, smart-tinting glass can be set to ‘clear’ or achieve various levels of tint for aesthetic or comfort reasons and do not require power to maintain the desired tint level. In interior applications, a level of privacy can also be achieved, such as conference room or a bedroom.

While electrochromic (EC) technology has been around for decades, newer technologies such as those used by Kinestral Technologies’ Halio smart-tinting glass, has tackled the drawbacks of earlier versions that limited adoption in the market. These enhancements include eliminating the yellow cast in the clear state and tinting to more neutral shades of grey, tinting more uniformly, and accelerating the tinting speeds.

   

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