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 such things as windows that would open and close themselves according to a schedule or by some smart technology that would regulate inside temperature more effectively. There 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 are decades after those promises were made out of limited window technology available.

About the only window technology available to consumers that is readily available and affordable is low e glass or multiple thermal pane windows. Sure we are able to apply electric motors for some forms of windows, or add different films to windows to attain different degrees of darkening but we don't really examine these as high technology promise fulfillment.

When I believe of hi-tech windows I have a tendency to think of such things as star trek. OK so Star trek might be a little over the top 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 which we often don't think about. A technology that has been around for several years, it significantly reduces the harmful UV light that enters our homes fading our carpets and furniture, in addition, it reduces how much excess heat during warmer weather cutting cooling costs by a large percentage. It can also be used, depending on the way the film is put on the window, to reflect heat back into the house during cold months thus saving on heating costs.

I could remember as a child seeing those late fifties early sixties news real type implies that depicted the home of the future with smart appliances and also smart doors and windows. Much of those implies that dealt with early concepts and early ideas about how technology might be found in the future have observed those ideas come to fruition.

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

tuberculosis treatment and prevention or switchable privacy glass was one innovation that has been predicted to be commonplace in the house by the entire year 2000. That technology does exist but isn't commonplace. Photo gray windows like the glass found in optical lenses were believed would also be commonplace right now but are not.

The specific photo gray technology like that found in optical lenses proved to be too expensive for window application. But other tinting or automatic darkening technology does exist but is normally still too expensive to be commonplace in consumer windows. It is however a technology that's in use in some commercial applications.

Other technology such as for example switchable privacy glass has actually managed to get into consumer based product production at once or another but with very limited success. Not for lack of interest in the technology by in large but instead as a result of failure of the technology to meet the needs of consumers or simply 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 due to technology failures leading to an unacceptable rate of return and general dissatisfaction of consumers with the merchandise. They have abandoned the theory for now at least in favor of an auto tinting window technology which is still under development.

Other window companies aswell have had similar experiences with switchable privacy glass. However 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 fresh technology it speaks of hope for future consumer window products. In most cases, new technologies that arrive in the consumer market are first proven in the industry arena.

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

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

Along with his unique perspective on many issues and topics Scott lends a higher level of professionalism to the topics he writes about. Read more about Scott at his site. Scott Best Articles
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