Smart Glazing Systems vs Conventional Glazing: A Comprehensive Study on Temperature Control, Daylighting, and Sustainability

Abstract

Glazing systems play a significant role in managing the interaction between indoor and outdoor temperatures within a building. This research was conducted in a laboratory at Najran University in Saudi Arabia, focusing on six different glass samples, including two conventional (double low-E glass and vacuum clear glazing) and four smart glazing configurations (PDLC and SPD in both ON & OFF states), aiming to analyze their impact on indoor-outdoor temperature interaction, solar radiation control, and visual comfort. Key findings include SPD-OFF's superior temperature control (limiting increase to 24.28℃ compared to 10.53℃ for double low-E), PDLC-ON's optimal daylight illumination (2901.43 lux), and its higher energy efficiency (97.97 W/m² heat gain) compared to 44.8 W/m² for double low-E. The study also highlighted cost and environmental differences, with double low-E being the most cost-effective ($1.43/m² ) and PDLC-ON the most eco-friendly (14.5 kg CO2/m² ), despite higher operating costs. Overall, smart glazing systems, particularly the PDLC configuration, demonstrated notable advantages in thermal and visual comfort management.

The Use of Transparent Structures to Improve Light Comfort in Library Spaces and Minimize Energy Consumption: A Case Study of Warsaw, Poland

“…Smart glass can help architects achieve their sustainability goals by reducing the amount of electricity needed for indoor lighting, lowering cooling costs, and promoting the health and well-being of building occupants [28]. In addition, Qahtan et al [29] highlighted the benefits of smart glazing technologies, in particular, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs), in achieving energy efficiency, visual comfort, and environmental sustainability in building design and construction. Smart windows can reversibly change their optical properties to adapt to changing weather conditions or user preferences, thus providing selective and dynamic control over incoming solar radiation This is achieved through the incorporation of chromogenic materials such as thermochromic, photochromic, electrochromic, and gasochromic ones [30].…”