SMART GLASS BLOCKS HEAT OR LIGHT AT FLICK OF A SWITCH
The researchers solved this problem by mixing the Niobium oxide with special nanocrystals that can block the near-infrared rays that carry heat from the sun. A new dawn To make the revolutionary new windows, heat-absorbing nanocrystals are "grown" in a flask, and then mixed with a light-absorbing compound called Niobium oxide that, when heated, will encase them in a glass-like structure. They coat a standard piece of window glass with the solution, and heat the whole thing to bond the film to the glass. What comes out on the other side is a sheet of glass layered with a thin film of nanocrystals that can be programmed with electrical charges. This makes manufacturing the new smart windows much cheaper and quicker than before, opening up a much larger market for the technology.
STUDY: SPRAY-ON SMART GLASS FILTERS LIGHT AND HEAT ON DEMAND
Small voltages applied to the material trigger it to block heat and, independently, light. Selective control over the amount of heat and light passing through windows could help to keep buildings cool during the summer and warm during the winter. Around 4% of all energy consumed in the United States is used to cool or warm buildings to compensate for heat transfer through windows, according to the US Department of Energy. The ability to perform well in hot and cold climates could mean big energy savings, says Delia Milliron, a materials chemist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, who led the team that developed the material. The recipe, reported in Nature 1 , calls for nanoscale crystals of indium tin oxide, a conductive material used to coat flat-panel displays. When indium tin oxide is jolted with electricity, the extra electrons help it to absorb as much as 35% of heat-producing near-infrared radiation passed through the crystals. The researchers embedded some of those nanoscale heat sponges into glass made from niobium oxide, which darkens when exposed to current. Together, the two materials allow control of both heat and visible light passing through the window.
Milliron and her ream were awarded a $3 million (1.9 million) research grant by the Energy Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy last year, and had already achieved great success with the development of a coating that blocks heat-delivering near-infrared (NIR) light, but not visible light. Now, she and her research team have used a similar technique -- which relies on an electric current to switch its function on and off -- combining two totally different compounds to block either light or heat selectively. One of the materials, indium tin oxide (ITO) -- a component in LCD and touchscreens -- is extremely conductive. When electricity passes through it, it allows the material to absorb heat energy from NIR. ITO nanocrystals were embedded in glass made from niobium oxide. The niobium ions in it are used in superconductive materials, and when combined with certain compounds can detect infrared light.
STAINED-GLASS ANGELS WELCOME LIGHT INTO HOLY SPIRIT
from ceiling. Pendants feature back wrought-iron accents wrapped around bottle necks. Fixtures are suspended by black cords. (Archive News Story - Products mentioned in this Archive News Story may or may not be available from the manufacturer.) Original Press Release Meyda Lighting Introduces Unique Wine Bottle Pendants YORKVILLE, NEW YORK--Designing lighting "that is right on-trend," Meyda Lighting introduces art glass Wine Bottle Pendants. Meyda Lighting is a division of Meyda Tiffany, the nation's leading manufacturer and designer of Tiffany lamps and stained glass lighting and accessories. Meyda Lighting's new Wine Bottle Pendants, which are featured in its popular Metro Line, feature authentic glass wine bottles and T6 4o watt lamping.
GUARDIAN INDUSTRIES LAUNCHES NEW CALCULATOR FOR EVALUATING COMPARATIVE LIGHTING COSTS
Tomas Tafolla, director of religious education for children and adults at Holy Spirit, says the stained glass tradition traces to the Catholic Church's beginnings. "For the Church and Catholicism, stained glass has told the biblical stories," he says. "Stained glass took off in the Middle Ages." Tafolla says stained glass over the years continues to play a significant role for parishioners, serving to educate and inspire them. "Stained glass gives us that comfort," he says. "Not only is it beautiful to look at, the stained glass also is a constant reminder of what faith is, what the Church teaches." Tafolla says stained glass also has evolved from generic forms to the artistic value. Carlson's latest artwork, for example, is stylized, but also borders on contemporary in design to match the overall environment at Holy Spirit.
LIGHTING FIXTURES FEATURE AUTHENTIC GLASS WINE BOTTLES.
Maikowski, Director, Lighting Market, Guardian Industries. The goal of the Lighting Performance Calculator is to give the user a resource to compare potential performance improvements and explore possible fixture count reductions, annual energy cost reductions and estimated payback period for lighting projects using our glass and coated glass product options. Guardian is a leader in the development and manufacture of high performance glass for lighting, including anti-reflective glass, which maximizes lighting performance through high transmission and low reflectivity. The public calculator, developed in collaboration with Stout Systems, a software development and staffing company, is one of several digital tools Guardian recently introduced to ease the product specifying process for architects, builders and interior designers, including the Building Energy Calculator, BIM Generator, SunGuard app, InGlass Website and ecoScorecard. For more information, visit .
SMART GLASS BLOCKS OUT HEAT AND LIGHT VIA SWITCH
Well, this is yet another invention that can be labelled under the smart window department it happens to be a smart glass that has a spray-on coating which can block heat as well as light with but a single flick of a switch, resulting in a step towards more energy-efficient windows. What you see above is an example of this smart glass, where the segment on the left has some film sprayed onto it, while the area on the right remains pretty much an ordinary glass. This engineered window coating can be adjusted so that it will be able to respond to changing weather conditions accordingly. As to how much heat and light it lets in or blocks out, the same principle applies a small surge of voltage will be sent to the material, kicking it into action. It is hoped that the ability to perform well in hot as well as cold climates might translate to huge energy savings at the end of the day not only for individual homes, but as a nation on the whole. Related:
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