"Tunable" windows would let people adjust light and heat levels, but so far it's been hard to make them affordable.
Windows that absorb or reflect light and heat at the flick of a
switch could help cut heating and cooling bills. A company called Soladigm
has developed methods for making these "electrochromic" windows
cheaply, making them more viable for homes and office buildings.
Existing electrochromic window designs cost around $100 per square foot. Soladigm has not disclosed how much its windows will cost, but some experts say the method could reduce the cost to around $20 per square foot.
The Milpitas, CA-based company uses a thin-film deposition process that creates conducting layers between two panes of glass for controlling the amount of sunlight and heat that can pass through. A homeowner or office dweller could control how much light or heat a window lets in or absorbs and reflects.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Technology Review: Making Smart Windows that Are Also Cheap
Author: Ucilia Wang
