How Electrochromic Glass Works
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Interior common space of office building with lounge chairs and full smart glass windows from left to right.
Photo by ©Laurent Kronental
Interior common space of office building with lounge chairs and full smart glass windows from left to right.
Photo by ©Laurent Kronental
Interior common space of office building with lounge chairs and full smart glass windows from left to right with woman peering out the window.
Photo by ©Laurent Kronental
Interior common space of office building with lounge chairs and full smart glass windows from left to right.
Photo by ©Laurent Kronental
The Intelligence of Smart Glass
To perform in the field, electrochromic glass needs software and controls to dictate when and how it should tint. Using a combination of predictive and real-time inputs such as weather, location and cloud cover, the software and controls manage daylighting, glare, energy use and color rendition throughout the day.

Benefits of Electrochromic Glass

Benefits of Electrochromic Glass

Occupant Wellness

Electrochromic glass can be part of a healthy building strategy by providing all-day access to daylight and views without glare or excessive heat.

Sustainability

By optimizing heat transfer, smart glass can lessen the load on your HVAC systems and reduce your energy bills.

Distinctive Design

Electrochromic glass allows you to have greater expanses of glass facades without the need for excessive shading devices, resulting in a clean, modern aesthetic.

Proven Technology

SageGlass smart glass has been used successfully in thousands of projects across several continents.

Benefits of Electrochromic Glass
How to Evaluate the Right Electrochromic Glass Partner
When evaluating electrochromic glass partners, consider aesthetics, experience, stability, and quality.
Talk to a representative to learn more about the distinction SageGlass delivers.
  • Superior Aesthetics
  • Relevant References
  • Stable Organization
  • Quality Product & Support
  • Advanced Software & Controls
  • Easy System Integration

FAQs

Does smart glass require power?

It does, but a very small amount. It takes less electricity to operate 3,000 square feet, 280 m² of SageGlass than it does to power a typical home internet modem. The amount of energy smart windows save is enormous compared to the amount of energy they use.

How does electrochromic glass change its tint?

While SageGlass Maestro tells the glass when to tint and by how much, the "secret sauce" of how it tints is just as important. We coat SageGlass panes with five layers of ceramic materials for a total thickness of less than 1/50th that of a human hair. When voltage is applied across the coatings, ions travel from one layer to another layer, prompting a reversible solid-state change that causes the coating to tint and absorb light. In other words, the glass gets darker. Reversing the polarity of the applied voltage causes the ions to migrate back to their original layer, untinting the glass. 

How much energy do smart windows save?

This varies based on climate zone, size of building, amount of glass, and other project-specific variables. Generally, smart class can reduce energy loads between 5-15% and reduce peak energy loads up to 26%.

How does SageGlass technology work?

What we call "SageGlass" includes both the glass itself and its electronic controls. The brains of the operation is SageGlass Maestro, our proprietary, predictive control algorithm. Maestro knows where the building is in the world, the time of day, the date, the size of the glass, and the occupant layout. It then takes real-time sky readings, using a 360 rooftop sensor, to understand weather patterns and light levels. The algorithm then instructs the glass to get darker or lighter based on those variables.

What is the dynamic range of the glass?

The performance of SageGlass can range from 60% visible light transmission in its clear state, down to 1% in its tinted state, with a solar heat gain coefficient that varies from 0.41 on the high end to 0.09 on the low end. Learn how the dynamic range affects both light transmission and solar heat gain. These are the values for a typical double-glazed unit, but changes to IGU makeup, such as triple glazing, impact these values.

What control system options are available?

SageGlass operates with an automated control system with options for manual control and for building automation system integration.  We typically provide wall touch panels, which allow occupants to override the automated tinting to suit individual preferences. During the design process, we work with each customer to determine how many panels they need, and where they're located. The same is true for the SageGlass mobile app. Our system integrates with every major BMS on the market, using industry-standard BACnet protocols. It is important to note that, while we support BMS integration, SageGlass is not a BMS integrator. Instead, we work with a customer's integrator, providing the necessary data and support.

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