Breakthrough in cool glass

Smart foil technology could cut need for air-con

Rich rewards surely lie in store for innovations that cut down the demand for air conditioning – and hold down its spiralling energy use and carbon cost. Small wonder, then, that a Swedish company with a clever answer has just scooped up $6 million in funding to get into full-scale manufacture of its patented glass laminate.

The ChromoGenics solution is to use ultra-thin plastic foil, applied straight on to glass or used as laminates between layers of glass, which can be switched by an electrical charge to vary the amount of light and heat passing through.

At the moment, the small quantities in production are sufficient to make windows for demonstration purposes, along with visors for motorcycle helmets. Bengt Åkerström, CEO of ChromoGenics, says the product is still being tested for durability, and the industry is yet to settle on the best type of interface to control the windows. The helmet visors could be launched commercially this winter, but he’s not expecting deliveries for building use until 2011. Costs will gradually start to decrease as volume builds, he says, adding: “Our ambition is to reach the goal of an added cost of $100-$150 per square metre for windows. That’s what window manufacturers have said they’re happy with.” The price to end users will obviously be rather higher.

Åkerström expects the first major use of his technology to be on commercial buildings in western Europe, because “today they’re almost all equipped with air conditioning”. However, he eventually sees the invention, which picked up the Most Promising Technology Award at the 2007 Cleantech Forum XIII in Frankfurt, as being cost-effective for young home owners. “For them, it would be a good investment because they can reduce their energy costs long term.”
- Clare Dowdy

13 November 2007