“Smart Windows” Cut Costs with Glass-Tinting Technology

From Kayla on September 3rd, 2010 in Window Replacement

While consumption and living green have become the center of many a hot topic over the past few years, some of the best energy efficient technology has been around for decades. Case in point: electrochromic windows.

Created to change tint when an electric current is applied, the design is akin to a window with sunglasses. But while it may seem like a wave of the future, several companies have actually been working on this particular idea since 1989. So why the delay? They’ve been trying to tackle high costs and performance concerns.

Luckily, however, it seems like the hard work has paid off. One company, Soladigm, has been given a $40 million loan from the state of Mississippi, along with a $4 million grant to open up a factory that can properly house the green technology.

Soladigm’s design utilizes a chemical coating on the inside surface of the outer pane of glass (on a double pane window), and fairly simple wiring. The finished product is supposed to last anywhere from 30 to 50 years and won’t discolor like window designs of the past.

While the cost of electrochromic windows may be significantly higher than traditional windows, buildings that utilize the technology will certainly see a large return in lower energy costs. And certainly, 30+ years down the road, that initial cost won’t matter anyway.