Innovation: Cutting edge of smart glass industry

Smart windows are the future for the glazing sector. One if the leaders in the field are ClearVuePV Solar Glass. The company is accelerating its innovations and already has a number of successful installations such as the one in the 2022 Olympic village in China. Built adjacent to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Village by Jinmao Green Building Technology Co., a subsidiary of Hong Kong listed Jinmao Green Building (itself a subsidiary of China SOE, Sinochem), the newly built villas have been fit with ClearVuePV Solar Glass with a PDLC based dynamically tinting glazing feature. The structure’s construction is currently in the fit-out stage and negotiations have also commenced for a formal distribution agreement with Jinmao. ClearVuePV is the only clear solar window on the market with a VLT~70%. 

In another major development ClearVue, along with Nodis, also undertake a first phase evaluation for the US Air Force, trialling Nodis’ dynamic switchable glazing powered by ClearVue’s photovoltaic window technology. The companies and the US Air Force are looking at joint opportunities which include smart window supply contracts. 

ClearVue’s important role in the partnership was acknowledged by Nodis’ CEO Michael Holt. “Getting power to windows, especially in a retro-fit application, has been historically difficult and expensive. A Nodis TruTint dipole nanoparticle suspension (DNPS) glazing system combined with ClearVue PV and battery can be deployed without the need for wiring to the window.

“Where wiring is used, our solution also uses powerline control of the windows themselves removing the risk of over-the-air hacking of the glazing inherent in wireless control methods using WiFi, Bluetooth or other communications protocols.”

In this trial, the Nodis smart glass technology is being used to create glass that adapts to its environment – functioning as active camouflage.

Nodis TruTint smart glass film has been used to control the tint level and thereby the amount of light and infrared entering a US Air Force building, with control coming from Nodis’ Window Control System using the internet of things (IoT) and powerline communications technologies.

Commenting on the collaboration, ClearVue executive chairman Victor Rosenberg said: “The Nodis TruTint product is at the cutting edge of the smart glass industry and is a perfect fit for ClearVue’s photovoltaic glazing solution. To date, the combined Nodis and ClearVue solution has demonstrated the benefits of both solutions to the US Air Force: energy savings and energy generation offering a clear impact on sustainability and a path towards net-zero.

“The next step is to complete Phase 2 of the US Air Force evaluation with Nodis and then to scale and commercialise a combined product for potential sales to the US Air Force and others. The ClearVue PV IGU solution has demonstrated itself to be a great fit for use in supplying localised power to Nodis’ TruTint smart glass film.”

Advertisement