For commercial buildings and homes, window films have many uses - not least of all modulating heat and light within a building with anti-glare and heat reduction technology.
It’s technology that is sure to evolve over time, with window films providing even more solutions for common problems in spaces, but even the way we use windows to house technology may change before we know it.
Take for example a new self-powering smart window that has been developed by scientists. According to the Mail Online, the windows work by housing transparent solar cell technology within the glass itself.
It uses near-ultraviolet light to generate electricity, which it in turn uses to either lighten or darken the glass as required by the user.
Professor Yueh-Lin Loo, lead author of the study, said: “’We wanted the smart window to dynamically control the amount of natural light and heat that can come inside, saving on energy cost and making the space more comfortable.”
The windows can darken to block out up to 80 per cent of light.
The research also looked into a way that the technology could be applied to existing windows, and the researchers believe that a flexible version of the technology could be applied as window films.
This would make the concept perfect for retrofitting older buildings, while new builds could have the glass built into it from the outset. The researchers also believe that the technology could have further uses outside of building regulation, including car windscreens to power small devices.
