Glass window coatings for sunlight heat reflection and co-utilization

Buildings that simultaneously provide natural illumination and thermal comfort for all seasons have met with increasing demand as conventional resource limitations are realized. In this context, organic and metal-dielectric coatings are tested, and a simple, coated double-glazed window with solar blinds is conceived that includes passive infrared (IR) reflection, active illumination control, and integration to the building envelope. As a result, a proper spectrally selective coating is applied to produce a low-emissivity solar window with climate-adaptive co-utilization of the reflected IR. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America