Smart windows passively driven by greenhouse effect

TL;DR

This paper presents a passive smart window system that uses greenhouse effect-driven thermochromic materials to reduce heat flux by 30% while maintaining visible light transmittance, enhancing building energy efficiency.

Contribution

Introduces a novel passive smart window design utilizing greenhouse effect to switch thermochromic materials between insulating and conducting states.

Findings

Reduces heat flux by 30% compared to traditional double glazing.

Maintains approximately 0.35 transmittance over 75% of visible spectrum.

Demonstrates effective passive thermal management in building applications.

Abstract

The rational thermal management of buildings is of major importance for the reduction of the overall primary energy consumption. Smart windows are promising systems which could save a significant part of this energy. Here we introduce a double glazing system made with a thermochromic metal-insulator transition material and a glass layer separated by an air gap which is able to switch from its insulating to its conducting phase thanks to the greenhouse effect occuring in the separation gap. We also show that this passive system can reduce the incoming heat flux by 30% in comparison with a traditional double glazing while maintaining the transmittance around 0.35 over 75% of visible spectrum.