Smart glazing for energy savings
Glass buildings and windows across Europe have been built or retrofitted with thermochromic glazing, a transparent layer that helps heat interior spaces intelligently. However, the same glazing can overheat these spaces in warmer periods, which pushes up the energy needs of a building by up to 30 %. This represents around 40 % of total energy consumption in Europe, a significant amount that must be reduced. The EU-funded project 'Production of thermochromic glazings for energy saving applications' (Termoglaze) developed a durable, cost-effective and energy efficient thermochromic glazing technology for different climate conditions. The new technology is based on a principle known as atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD), allowing the glazing to respond to pressure and temperature. APCVD demonstrated many advantages over existing glazing, most notably high shading and high heat gain in lower temperatures, as well as low shading and low heat gain in higher temperatures. Improved visibility and transparency were also achieved. in addition, glazing applications featuring a thermochromic pigment applied to polycarbonate to reduce energy consumption were developed for use in greenhouses. These different varieties of glazing have been designed for quicker production processes and significant cost effectiveness, providing enhanced solutions at better prices. the long-term results are set to bring important energy savings and increased competitiveness in Europe with respect to glazing technology.
