From the moment a home is built, it begins to waste energy. There are ways to reduce that loss, though.

Insulation in the walls and attic will keep heat from escaping during the winter, and a programmable thermostat can help control your heating and cooling costs year-round.

Special window coverings can also make a difference in maintaining your home’s temperature, but all of these options have drawbacks.

While you might think about doing a renovation and installing smart windows for their ability to control privacy or block out unwanted noise, they offer even more benefits than that. 

Smart windows can save you money on energy bills and help regulate the temperature in your home or office throughout the year. So how do they work? Let’s find out!

What is A Smart Window?

A smart window is a window that changes the amount of light and heat passing through it in response to an external stimulus.

This could be a change in temperature, humidity, or even pressure. 

The most common smart windows are ones that can control how much sunlight passes through them. 

In some cases, this is done using materials like liquid crystals or electrochromic glass.

Smart windows are marketed as energy-efficient windows that use advanced technology to regulate the amount of light passing through them by a glazing panel. 

But what exactly does that mean, and how do they work?

Simply put, smart windows are windows with integrated sensors and controllers to manage daylighting via automated external shading systems. 

They can also be used to cool spaces by blocking unwanted heat. 

While it’s true that they were first developed in Germany in 1991 by PPG Industries (and later licensed by the Fraunhofer Institute), the technology has been around for much longer than that—the Romans had something similar called “thermal shutters” in 100 A.D., which were placed on doors and windows to protect against cold temperatures or excessive sunlight during winter months.

Can You Save With Smart Windows?

According to the Department of Energy, about 33% of a building’s cooling costs can be attributed to the windows. That’s largely because conventional glass doesn’t absorb or reflect heat (it just lets it through), meaning that your air conditioner has to work harder to keep your room cool. 

But smart windows can help solve this problem by regulating how much heat passes through them depending on how hot or cold it is outside. 

For example, if the sun is beating down on your home and heating up its interior temperature, smart windows could automatically react by allowing less light in while keeping out more heat.

This means that you don’t have to run as many fans and AC units inside which helps save money over time because using less power tends to mean paying less for electricity bills too! 

In fact, according to a study done by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), installing smart glass could reduce energy consumption by as much as 30%.

Smart Window Technologies

There are three most common technologies for smart windows: electrochromic, photochromic and thermochromic.

Electrochromic smart windows

Electrochromic smart window technology is more common than the other two, but it also costs more to purchase and install.

When an electric current passes through this type of glass, it darkens or lightens depending on its surroundings (like sunlight). 

It can also be controlled by remote control. 

Electrochromic smart windows can be installed on cars as well as homes. They are often used to tint car windows because they can change from clear to opaque simply by pressing a button or flipping a switch inside your vehicle. 

The amount of tinting an electrochromic window provides depends on how much voltage you apply; if you want maximum darkness or clarity then apply 100% voltage; if less then you’ll get less darkness/clarity – there’s no way around this right now so just be aware when shopping around!

Electrochromic smart windows have thin film layers of tungsten oxide, which allow control over the amount of light entering a room.

Electrochromic glass is made using electrochemistry.

A chemical compound called tungsten oxide (WO3) is used for this purpose. Tungsten oxide is a yellow-brown solid with a chemical formula of WO3 and it can be found naturally occurring in volcanic rocks or when some metal oxides are heated to high temperatures.

Tungsten oxide has many uses in industry and medicine due to its ability to change color depending on its temperature or pH level as well as other variables such as light exposure or concentration levels within liquids or solids around.

Photochromic smart windows

Photochromic smart windows are coated with silver halides or metallized dyes that will darken in response to UV light.

This makes them ideal for use in cars, as they can lower the amount of heat that gets inside the vehicle during the summer months.

Thermochromic smart windows

Thermochromic smart windows work by changing color based on temperature changes—they’re able to turn transparent when it’s hot and opaque when it’s cold.

They’re most often used in buildings, which benefit from their ability to reduce energy usage while still remaining warm enough for human comfort throughout any season.

Most thermochromic smart windows use vanadium oxide, which shifts its structural state during temperature changes. In its crystalline state, it will allow light to pass through at high temperatures but block light when temperatures drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Vanadium oxide works best in temperatures between 68 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also non-toxic, so you can use it without worrying about any harmful effects on your health or the environment.

Should You Invest In Smart Window Technology?

Smart windows can save you money and help regulate the temperature in your home or office. Smart windows are energy efficient and can also control how much sunlight enters a building, depending on the time of day.

This means they can be used in both residential and commercial buildings, as well as any climate or location around the world.

As long as you get the right fit for your home or office and don’t mind spending a little extra money upfront, smart windows can be a good investment. 

You’re not going to save as much as you would by installing new windows with triple pane glass, but they will pay for themselves over time and help regulate the temperature in your home or office all year round.