ABSTRACT
Increasing demand for the smart utilization of energy among building managers, owners, and construction companies has resulted in a growing smart window market. Low emissivity smart windows with special features such as the ability to block UV light, reduce heat formation, and exhibit fast switching capability are rapidly gaining attention in sectors like aviation, automobiles, and shipping. This has increased the production of fuel efficient smart glass with low emissivity. Smart glass (or switchable glass) has properties that can change in response to external stimulus. This external stimulus can be voltage, light, or heat applied on the smart glass, which causes its light and/or heat transmission properties to be altered. Smart glass switches its properties either automatically or manually and can be used to regulate the glare. Based on these attributes, this chapter introduces the following smart window technologies: electrochromic, thermochromic, suspended particle devices, liquid crystal devices, and polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices. This chapter also discusses new emerging smart window technologies that are creating a niche in the market.
