The broader impacts/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to reduce initial building capital costs and monthly energy bills by providing dynamic glass at a price that is less than half that of the competition. Customers will experience a projected payback period of three years or less. Once the windows are installed, they will improve worker productivity because the windows can switch on the order of a few seconds in response to glare. The commercial impact of this work is significant because the amount of energy wasted by using standard, double pane windows costs $58 billion per year in the US. The company expects its windows will help reduce the energy waste at a low price such that the company can capture a significant portion of the $2 billion US construction glass market.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project involves improving the stability of electrochromic windows that can tint instantly. The fast switching speeds and low cost are due to a dramatically different set of materials that are similar to plastics. Although these materials can be deposited onto windows at a cost that is lower than competing technologies, these materials have suffered from stability issues. The company is developing anti-oxidant additives that can be used to improve the stability. Our research objectives are to produce devices with an accelerated lifetime of 20 years and to produce a 10 inch by 10 inch prototype that can used to create design pull amongst building design firms and building owners. This will allow the company to obtain third party validation, enlist channel partners, and begin scale-up.
