Newly Developed Smart Window Blocks Heat, Generates Electricity

Researchers at Shanghai University, led by Yanfeng Gao developed a ‘smart window’ which does triple duty – regulates temperature fluctuations without requiring power, generates electricity and serves as transparent window.

The researcher’s goal was to find a way to merge a window with the power-generating capabilities of a solar panel, which isn’t transparent.

This kind of window would likely be more expensive than simple glass panes. But Gao and his co-authors noted in their study that buildings eat up 30 to 40 percent of the energy humans produce, and it all goes to heating, cooling and lighting. So a smart window like this could make a dent in that percentage.

[via DiscoveryNews]