Solar gains are the main responsible components for buildings overheating in summer and heat losses in winter. Our division is developing a novel kind of smart windows with changeable solar transmittance, which can be re-actively controlled and optimized in function of outdoor climatic conditions and internal comfort targets. Its solar transmittance is controlled at the glass stratification level and, even if the technical solution we adopt for it is a confidential information and cannot be disclosed, however preliminary testing showed its energy effectiveness.
Laboratory measurements and numeric simulations showed that the low transmittance status is more selective than presently used low-emission glass panes; and in its high transmittance status it behaves similarly to double clear glasses. Thus its behaviour is optimized for both warm and cold seasons.
Working Group
Alessandro Carbonari, Berardo Naticchia, Sara Spadoni, Paolo Principi (Department of Energetics), Roberto Fioretti (Department of Energetics), Giorgio Tosi (Department of Hydraulic, Roads, Environment, and Chemistry)