MetaEfficient Reviews » Windows

“Low-E” Windows Maximize Buildings’ Energy Efficiency

benjamin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:12:10 +0000

“Low-E” Windows Maximize Buildings’ Energy Efficiency (photo: EWC)

Low-E stands for low emissivity, and these windows are constructed to minimize heat transfer through the glass. Since windows are essentially huge holes in the walls of a building, choosing a low-E window design that’s appropriate for local climate and architecture can greatly increase a structure’s thermal efficiency, while reducing energy use and utility costs.
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Windows That Double As Solar Panels

Justin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:16:18 +0000

MIT researchers have announced that they have created “organic solar concentrators” that could make windows become powerful solar panels in as little as three years. The concentrator is mixture of two or more dyes painted onto a pane of glass or plastic. The dyes absorb light across a range of wavelengths, re-emit it at a different wavelength and transport it across the pane to the solar cells at the edges. Focusing the light like this increases the electrical power generated by each solar cell by a factor of 40. (more…)

New Glass Can Switch To Become A Mirror

Justin — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 04:24:48 +0000

Although windows can naturally heat buildings in the cold seasons, during the summer they can easily overheat a building. To help with this problem, Japanese scientists at AIST recently developed a thin film which can make transparent glass turn into mirrors. The use of such a window in buildings or automobiles could reduce the energy consumed by air conditioners by more than 30%. The scientists, Kazuki Yoshimura and Shanhu Bao developed the thin film material. Previous research works have focused on the use of thin films made of magnesium-nickel alloy that behave as switchable mirrors: these, however, all have a yellow tinge in their transparent state.

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Self-Cleaning Glass: Pilkington Activ Glass

Justin — Thu, 29 Jul 2004 00:41:55 +0000

"Pilkington
Activ"
glass needs little cleaning, reducing consumption
of detergent and water.

The active glass has a special nano-scale (extremely thin)
coating of microcrystalline titanium oxide which reacts to daylight. The
reaction breaks down dirt on the glass, and when the water hits the glass
the dirt slides off.

The chemical used — titanium
dioxide is a fairly benign compound found in toothpaste and paint.

The
glass is slightly more expensive that conventional glass, adding about
15-20% to the cost of installation. However,
it also provides an approximate
20 percent reduction in ultraviolet light transmission over
clear glass and equivalent energy efficiency.

Dirt, glass, Nano-scale Activ coating
containing microcrystalline titanium dioxide
Sun shines on window.
The UV rays trigger a chemical reaction in Activ coating,
called a photocatalytic process, which breaks down dirt
When
water hits glass, a hydrophilic effect is created. Water spreads
evenly over the surface, instead of droplets, so runs off and
takes dirt with it