Notes

What Happened to Window Technology?
What happened to the grand dreams of advanced window technology we heard about 30 years ago? We were all told to expect window innovations that could revolutionize our lives. We were told to anticipate specific things like windows that would open and close themselves according to a schedule or by some smart technology that would regulate inside temperature more effectively. There is 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 with limited window technology available.

About the only window technology available 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 to some forms of windows, or add different films to windows to accomplish different levels 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 tend to think of greater than a simple window that opened with a crank handle or sash pull. Granted windows attended a long way in technology that people don't see. Low e glass is one which 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 the quantity of excess heat during warmer weather cutting cooling costs by way of a large percentage. It is also used, depending on how the film is applied to 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 demonstrates depicted the home of the future with smart appliances together with 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 arrived at fruition.

You can get into almost any home and find smart appliances such as refrigerators and ranges, hvac systems, even water heaters and washing machines. All of these forms of appliances have come old and adopted some type 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 such as the glass found in optical lenses were believed would also be commonplace by now but are not.

The actual 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 very costly to be commonplace in consumer windows. It is however a technology that's in use in a few commercial applications.

Other technology such as switchable privacy glass has actually managed to get into consumer based product production at one time 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 just the failure of the technology to deliver as promised.

The Milgard window company actually put a version of smart switchable privacy glass windows into production for consumer windows. The windows seemed 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 product. They have abandoned the theory for now at the very least in favor of an auto tinting window technology which is still under development.

more info experienced similar experiences with switchable privacy glass. However the idea isn't dead actually it has had a recent 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 commercial arena.

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

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

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 about Scott at his site. Scott Best Articles
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