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A newly designed “liquid window” can block sunlight to keep a building cool, but also absorb heat that is released gradually during the day or night to reduce energy costs, the scientists said.
The window, invented by researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), uses a hydrogel-based liquid between the glass panels and has been found to reduce energy consumption in buildings by up to 45% compared to traditional glass windows. .
It was also about 30 percent more energy efficient than commercially available energy-efficient glass, as well as cheaper, said NTU scientists who spent nearly a decade on the project.
“Previously there was only talk of blocking sunlight in the summer and letting in sunlight in the winter, but no one talked about heat build-up – we are the first to do that,” said lead researcher Long Yi.
The “liquid window” material can be used for small or large pieces of glass. “It’s just like water,” Yi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Energy-using buildings, many of which are heated by fossil fuels, account for 40% of global energy consumption, and windows are responsible for half of that energy consumption, according to a 2009 UN report.
The International Energy Agency said direct and indirect global warming emissions from commercial electricity and heat used in buildings increased to the highest level recorded in 2019, accounting for 28% of global CO2-related emissions to energy.
The increase was fueled in part by growing energy demand for heating and cooling, with increased ownership of air conditioners and extreme weather conditions, the agency noted in a 2020 report.
Conventional energy-saving windows are made with expensive coatings that reduce infrared light entering or exiting a building, helping to reduce the demand for heating and cooling.
But they don’t regulate visible light, an important component of sunlight that causes buildings to heat up.
To push the boundaries, the NTU researchers mixed micro-hydrogel, water and a stabilizer, finding it can effectively reduce energy consumption in a variety of climates as it responds automatically to changes in temperature.
The liquid mixture in the “smart window” takes on a dull or satin appearance when exposed to heat, blocking sunlight.
When the temperature cools, it returns to its original clear and transparent state, letting in light and heat.
NTU scientists conducted simulations using building models and weather data from Shanghai, Las Vegas, Riyadh and Singapore, as well as outdoor tests in Singapore, Guangzhou and Beijing.
They hope to start working with companies soon to spark commercial interest.
Windows, which are more suitable for office buildings that are occupied during the day, can be adapted to different environments.
But they are most effective in the tropics and places where temperatures rise during the day and drop sharply at night, like the Middle East, Long said.
Tests also suggested that the smart liquid window reduces noise by 15% more effectively than double-glazed windows.
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