Solar Smart Glass
The envelope as an energy asset
Glazing that has stopped being only an opening. Solar smart glass admits daylight, moderates heat gain and generates at the same time.
- Primary functions
- Daylighting · solar heat-gain control · on-site generation
- Generation from the elevation The facade contributes instead of only consuming.
- Specified to project drawing Modelled against orientation and glazed area.
- Technical values confirmed in writing Output figures tied to a real elevation, never published blind.
Overview
Solar glass has moved well past the bolt-on photovoltaic panel. It is now a high-performance building material in its own right — a glazed element that carries daylight, controls solar heat gain and contributes generation from the same area of the elevation.
For a building in India that has to be cooled for most of the year, that combination matters twice: every unit of solar energy converted rather than admitted is a unit the cooling plant does not have to remove.
Benefits
The reasons clients give, rather than the reasons a datasheet gives.
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Energy efficiency
Reduces the building's reliance on conventional energy sources, which shows up in lower energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint.
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Daylighting
Occupants enjoy natural light while solar heat gain is minimised, improving comfort and reducing artificial lighting needs.
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Versatility
Incorporated into a range of building elements, from individual windows through to entire facades.
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Increasingly cost-effective
Advances in the technology have made it accessible to a much wider range of projects than a decade ago.
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Sustainability positioning
Visible, measurable performance for projects working to a green building target.
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Works with the rest of the envelope
Specified alongside heat control, light control and switchable glazing rather than instead of them.
Features
The working principle, at the glass line.
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Solar radiation reaches the glazed element
The elevation receives the same energy it always did — the difference is what happens to it at the glass line.
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Part of the spectrum is converted
The photovoltaic layer converts a portion of incident radiation to electricity while visible light continues into the space.
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Heat gain is moderated
Energy intercepted at the glass is energy that does not arrive inside as heat, which lowers the cooling demand behind the elevation.
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Daylight is retained
Occupants keep the daylight and the view. Reducing the reliance on artificial lighting is part of the performance case, not a side effect.
Applications
Where this glazing is most often specified.
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Commercial facades with high solar exposure
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Atria and glazed roofs
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Canopies, awnings and pergolas
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Office towers targeting green building credits
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Institutional and campus buildings
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Residential glazed extensions
Specifications
Technical specifications
Specification summary
Dimensions, ratings and performance vary by product grade, glass make-up and assembly. Request written confirmation for your project.
| Type | Solar (energy-generating) architectural glazing |
|---|---|
| Primary functions | Daylighting · solar heat-gain control · on-site generation |
| Applications | Windows, facades, roofs and glazed building elements |
| Design intent | Replaces conventional glazing rather than adding equipment to it |
| Related product | Transparent BIPV solar glass for fully building-integrated work |
| Project inputs required | Elevation, orientation, glazed area, target performance |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
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