Three-mode smart window cut indoor temperature by 27°C and eliminate urban glare

In the building sector, which accounts for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, heat ingress through windows has been identified as a primary cause of wasted heating and cooling energy.

A KAIST research team has successfully developed a ‘pedestrian-friendly smart window’ technology capable of not only reducing heating and cooling energy in urban buildings but also resolving the persistent issue of ‘light pollution’ in urban living.

Professor Hong Chul Moon’s research team at KAIST’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have developed a ‘smart window technology’ that allows users to control the light and heat entering through windows according to their intent, and effectively neutralize glare from external sources.

The findings of this research are published in ACS Energy Letters.

Recently, active smart window technology, which enables free adjustment of light and heat based on user operation, has garnered significant attention. Unlike conventional windows that passively react to changes in temperature or light, this is a next-generation window system that can be controlled in real-time via electrical signals.

The next-generation smart window technology developed by the research team, RECM (Reversible Electrodeposition and Electrochromic Mirror), is a smart window system based on a single-structured electrochromic device that can actively control the transmittance of visible light and near-infrared (heat).

In particular, by effectively suppressing the glare phenomenon caused by external reflected light—a problem previously identified in traditional metal deposition smart windows—through the combined application of electrochromic materials, a ‘pedestrian-friendly smart window’ suitable for building facades has been realized.

The RECM system developed in this study operates in three modes depending on voltage control.

Mode I (transparent mode) is advantageous for allowing sunlight to enter the indoor space during winter, as it transmits both light and heat like ordinary glass.

In Mode II (colored mode), Prussian Blue (PB) and DHV+• chemical species are formed through a redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction, causing the window to turn a deep blue color. In this state, light is absorbed, and only a portion of the heat is transmitted, allowing for privacy while enabling appropriate indoor temperature control.

Mode III (colored and deposition mode) involves the reduction and deposition of silver (Ag⁺) ions on the electrode surface, reflecting both light and heat. Concurrently, the colored material absorbs the reflected light, effectively blocking glare for external pedestrians.

The research team validated the practical indoor temperature reduction effect of the RECM technology through experiments utilizing a miniature model house.

When a conventional glass window was installed, the indoor temperature rose to 58.7°C within 45 minutes. Conversely, when RECM was operated in Mode III, the temperature reached 31.5°C, demonstrating a temperature reduction effect of approximately 27.2°C.

Furthermore, since each state transition is achievable solely by electrical signals, it is regarded as an active smart technology capable of instantaneous response according to season, time, and intended use.

Professor Hong Chul Moon of KAIST, the corresponding author of this study, stated, “This research goes beyond existing smart window technologies limited to visible light control, presenting a truly smart window platform that comprehensively considers not only active indoor thermal control but also the visual safety of pedestrians. Various applications are anticipated, from urban buildings to vehicles and trains.”