Glass Coating Lets Sunshine in Without Too Much Heat

LA Times ^ | August 14, 2004 | Eric D. Tytell

[neverdem]

SCIENCE FILE

A new glass coating made of vanadium dioxide could provide relief for sky-high summer air conditioning bills — without affecting winter heating costs, according to a study in the latest Journal of Materials Chemistry.

Chemists from University College London covered glass with a thin layer of the compound mixed with a sprinkling of tungsten, a combination that blocks the sun's infrared rays when it's hot, but lets the sun's warmth through in the cold.

[neverdem]

ping

[concerned about politics]

Interesting. It would be nice to keep the shades and curtains open during the summer. It's such a pretty time of year.
When we have the conditioner running, one side of the house has all the shades down. In the afternoon, we do the other side.

[JudyB1938]

I wish this product were available now. We have HUGE windows. I told my son that I wanted one of them covered up with insulation this winter. Too much cold comes through it, and it's not needed for light like the other two are.

[John Lenin]

A product is available now, it's caled Low-E glass.

[asgardshill]

Look for this innovation (or something like it) to be mandatory in automobile windows soon. Anything that could potentially interrupt the depressing drumbeat of stories about forgetful soccer moms leaving their infants in hot cars to fry while they go into Starbucks for a latte would be a relief.

[doug from upland]

You can use solar window film now.

[ccmay]

You can use solar window film now.

I just installed some of this new stuff on my car and it is amazing. It was pretty high dollar (over $500) but the way the car stays cool in the Arizona summer is nothing short of astonishing. A truly major innovation.

-ccm

[TomServo]

A product is available now, it's caled Low-E glass.

And I made sure that it's being put into the house my wife and I are building. They'll pay for themselves.

[GSlob]

If I still remember my inorganic chemistry, vanadium dioxide coating might be moisture sensitive. They might have to resort to sandwiching it between 2 glass plates, and carefully sealing the sandwich edges.

[secretagent]

reference

[sine_nomine]

I had huge windows like that in Minnesota. I got thin plastic sheets and double stick tape. I made "inside storms" that way. With a hair dryer one can smooth them so they are almost invisible. Oh yes, the windows had aluminum frames, so they conducted cold into the house like magic.

I also caulked the window frames inside and out.

[jnarcus]

I owuld love to read more about this but refuse to register for the Times...At any rate sounds interesting...I love materials science and then the optical coating portion makes this very intriquing...Of course my only question is how cost effective?

[jnarcus]

Depends on how they lay it down...and with a bit of tungsten oif they actually do it as a thin film layer set then moisture will not be a problem

[neverdem]

If you refuse to register with any site, try BugMeNot.com

I believe you need to enter the URL of the article or of the article's homepage.

[lainde]

bttt

[capt. norm]

A deciduous (loses its leaves in winter) shade tree can accomplish much the same.

[neverdem]

A deciduous (loses its leaves in winter) shade tree can accomplish much the same.

I don't believe you can find a deciduous tree population in arrid climates, IIRC. I could be wrong.

[JudyB1938]

Thanks everyone for the information. I'll check it out.

BTW, I did do the inside plastic thing. It helped, but the cold still pours through. Of course, I might just be super senstive. After being in the desert for almost 35 years, Arkansas is COLD! :0)

[John Lenin]

Low-E glass really works, I just read somewhere that someone is selling it in sheets that can be attached to your current glass but I have never seen it. The only way to get Low-E or Thermal glass is to buy new insulated windows (dual glazed with the Low-E sandwiched in the middle).