Notes

What Happened to Window Technology?
What happened to the grand dreams of advanced window technology we heard about 30 years back? We were all told to anticipate window innovations that could revolutionize our lives. We were told to expect specific things like windows that would open and close themselves in accordance with a schedule or by some smart technology that could regulate inside temperature more effectively. T here was also speculation of windows that would darken or lighten to filter out light, heat and UV by merely turning a knob or flipping a switch. Yet here we have been decades after those promises were made with limited window technology available.

Concerning the only window technology open to consumers that is easily available and cost effective is low e glass or multiple thermal pane windows. Sure we are able to apply electric motors for some types of windows, or add different films to windows to achieve different degrees of darkening but we don't really consider these as high technology promise fulfillment.

When I believe of high tech windows I have a tendency to think of such things as star trek. OK so Star trek might be a little outrageous but when the thought of high tech windows comes to mind I have a tendency to think of more than a simple window that opened with a crank handle or sash pull. Granted windows attended quite a distance in technology that people don't see. Low e glass is one that we often don't believe about. A technology that has been around for several years, it cuts down on the harmful UV light that enters our homes fading our carpets and furniture, it also reduces how much excess heat during warmer weather cutting cooling costs by way of a large percentage. It is also used, depending on the way the film is applied to the window, to reflect heat back into the home during cold months thus saving on heating costs.

I can remember as a child seeing those late fifties early sixties news real type shows that depicted the home of the future with smart appliances in addition to smart windows and doors. Much of those demonstrates handled early concepts and early ideas about how technology might be used in the future have observed those ideas come to fruition.

You can get into almost any home and find smart appliances such as refrigerators and ranges, heating and air conditioning systems, even water heaters and washers. All of these types of appliances have come old and adopted some form of smart technology. But what happened to the innovations we were told will be coming for windows?

S P G or switchable privacy glass was one innovation that was predicted to be commonplace in the house by the entire year 2000. That technology does exist but isn't commonplace. Photo gray windows including the glass used in optical lenses were believed would also be commonplace right now but are not.

The specific photo gray technology like this used in optical lenses became too expensive for window application. But other tinting or automatic darkening technology does exist but is generally still too expensive to be commonplace in consumer windows. It really is however a technology that is in use in a few commercial applications.

Other technology such as for example switchable privacy glass has actually made it into consumer based product production at once or another but with not a lot of success. Not for insufficient interest in the technology by in large but instead due to the failure of the technology to meet up the requirements of consumers or just the failure of the technology to provide as promised.

The Milgard window company actually put a version of smart switchable privacy glass windows into production for consumer windows. The windows appeared to be well received but Milgard was forced to abandon production because of technology failures leading to an unacceptable rate of return and general dissatisfaction of consumers with the product. They have abandoned the theory for now at the very least in favor of an auto tinting window technology that is still under development.

Other window companies as well experienced similar experiences with switchable privacy glass. But the idea isn't dead in fact it has had a recently available revival at Indiana university where the largest switchable privacy glass project ever undertaken has been complete on medical Information and Transitional Sciences Building using SPD light control film produced by Hitachi.

Although this again is really a commercial application for a new technology it speaks of hope for future consumer window products. Generally speaking, new technologies that arrive in the consumer market are first proven in the industry arena.

Many of what were once thought of as "space age" window technologies attended to be realities, however, not many of them have grown to be consumer affordable realities yet, and I stress the word yet.

Scott Best is really a freelance Author in association with Brand New Windows.Com [http://brandnewwindows.com]. Scott Writes for many websites.

Along with his unique perspective on many issues and topics Scott lends a high degree of professionalism to the topics he writes about. Find out more on Scott at his site. Scott Best Articles
My Website: https://www.openlearning.com/u/vindinghowell-rtfhe5/blog/WhatHappenedToWindowTechnology