A Clear View of Dynamic Glass Options

Dynamic glass is all the rage in the glass industry, and for good reason. Not only can dynamic glass cut energy use and save money, it can also make living and working spaces more comfortable.

Right now, most commercially available dynamic windows are based on two technologies: passive (thermochromic) and active (electrochromic). Here are a few pros and cons for each, along with brief descriptions of how they work:

Thermochromic Windows
Thermochromic windows gradually darken in response to rising temperatures caused by direct sunlight, then cool as the sun moves across the sky, returning to a clear, neutral state in cloudy or dark environmental conditions. An example of this is the Suntuitive interlayer, which is made from a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film that is laminated between two panes of heat-strengthened or tempered glass and incorporated into an insulated glass unit (IGU).

Pros:

Continuously adapts tint level in response to heat from direct sunlight
Installation is the same as any traditional window system
Can work in round, curved, and operable windows

Cons:

Cannot be manually controlled
On a cold and windy, but sunny day in the winter, the glass may not receive enough heat from direct sunlight to darken. However, this allows solar heat gain to help warm a home or building.
Added weight to insulated glass unit

Electrochromic Windows

Electrochromic windows change color in response to electrical stimulation. When a voltage is applied to the multilayer electrochromic coating on the glass, ions migrate between layers causing the color of the coating to change. The higher the voltage applied the darker the glass tints.

Pros:

Tint level can be adjusted with a user-controlled device
Individual windows can be tinted to different levels
Can include sensors to automatically adjust tint level

Cons:

Installation is more difficult and requires wires to each window unit
Currently not available in round and some types of curved windows
Need for wiring and mechanical intervention increases the risk of failure

If you have questions about the different dynamic glass technologies and how they can improve your home or office, give us a call at 616.662.7216.

Masco HQ – User Experiences with Suntuitive Dynamic Glass

Advancements in glass and glazing products have recently come at a pretty hectic pace. Innovations that are being created to improve the building performance and the occupant comfort are now available from more sources than ever. The challenge lies in what technology works best for your specific structure. Making it even tougher is the glass world as a whole is very rarely a “one size fits all” sort of scenario.

Shedding Light on Balanced Lighting

It’s no secret that properly lit rooms and offices have desirable effects on our overall well-being, productivity, and mood. While utilizing natural daylight and relying on artificial light are the main ways to illuminate a space, daylighting is an increasingly popular method for adding light to the rooms where we spend our time.

Title 24 and Suntuitive Glass

The California Energy Commission’s Title 24 Building Standards, known simply as Title 24, have saved Californians more than $74 billion in reduced electricity bills since 1977. Even as the state’s population rapidly grew, these energy-saving standards have successfully helped keep California’s per capita electricity use flat over the last 40 years, while the rest of the country’s use increased

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