Windows are a two-way street when it comes to efficient green building. We need them for light, fresh air, beauty, and the connection they create to the outdoors, but even the most efficient windows, installed perfectly, are akin to having a hole in the wall as far as energy is concerned. Enter Peer +, who has developed a new type of energy-generating smart glass that can change its opacity to filter sunlight, significantly reducing the energy costs of solar over-exposure. You can select settings from bright to dark to private (scattering), and the windows will actually generate electricity from the blocked sunlight. Pretty nifty!
Dubbed Smart Energy Glass, these new windows are being piloted in the Netherlands where the young company is based. They are billing their product as the first windows with a payback time. There is no technical data online but the technology definitely has potential to solve several problems at once. Keep an eye on this tech and we will let you know as news comes through the window.
Really an informative post. Wonder how effective would it be when the payback period of already available energy efficient glasses are considered.