Our world is seeing a plethora of smart devices taking over our daily lives, from smart wa-ter bottles to smart toothbrushes, every practical device or gadget has been smartified, ex-cept for one notable exception, our windows. However, even this is about to change as the technology for smart windows comes into play.
Imagine never having to pull a curtain again. Smart windows adjust to the available lighting to provide the most comfortable levels of brightness, so you enjoy the view outside without compromising on the amount of sunlight inside. This is especially a blessing in hot countries like India, where the hot midday sun forces us all to draw the curtains no matter how stunning the view outside. In fact, some of us have already experienced this sort of electrochromic windows on the Boeing Dreamliner where a simple touch of a button can darken or brighten the window, eliminating the need for blinds altogether. Windows that darken in the sun make the room cooler thus requiring less energy to cool, similarly during winters, the windows can let the sunlight filter in, warming up the room and reducing heating costs. In fact, one can also set them up on a schedule so the windows can darken and brighten on time even if you forget about it.
Apart from saving energy costs, smart windows can also harvest the sunlight and trans-form it into electricity, thus reducing one’s dependence on non-renewable energy sources. The material that these smart windows are made of, perovskites can convert up to 22% of the sunlight into energy, just as efficient as silicon’s 25% conversion rate. In fact, perovskites are cheaper than silicon, which makes it even cheaper to have energy efficient windows at home.
For those of us crave a little more security in our spaces, smart windows make perfect sense. They can easily be integrated with the home security system to provide alerts if any attempts at forced entry are made. Wherever you may be in the world, you can receive updates about your home and its occupants.
Safety, security, energy saving and pretty. Smart windows are the perfect addition to every home. Install yours to say bye bye to curtains forever.
