Cool throughout the summer

A house flooded by natural daylight – this is what many people who build or renovate their own house dream of. Large-area glazing is in fashion and provides abundant light even in murky weather. But the higher the percentage of glass in the façade, the higher the risk of room overheating at times of strong solar irradiation – then, shading becomes a necessity. "The modern high-tech alternative to blinds or sunshades is the switchable solar control glazing EControl – at the touch of a button, it can be electrochromically darkened in finely graded steps. In this way, light and heat transmittance can be controlled for individual situations, depending on the weather and personal lifestyle. And the view to the outside is fully maintained all the time", explains Dr. Hartmut Wittkopf, the General Manager of A house flooded by natural daylight – this is what many people who build or renovate their own house dream of. Large-area glazing is in fashion and provides abundant light even in murky weather. But the higher the percentage of glass in the façade, the higher the risk of room overheating at times of strong solar irradiation – then, shading becomes a necessity. "The modern high-tech alternative to blinds or sunshades is the switchable solar control glazing EControl – at the touch of a button, it can be electrochromically darkened in finely graded steps. In this way, light and heat transmittance can be controlled for individual situations, depending on the weather and personal lifestyle. And the view to the outside is fully maintained all the time", explains Dr. Hartmut Wittkopf, the General Manager of EControl Glas GmbH & Co KG in Plauen.

The times when window glazing simply served as transparent weather protection and a source of natural daylight are over. Nowadays, glazing fulfils ever more complex functions. Electrochromic technology allows the new, switchable glazing to be adjusted to the time of day and the season. It has been developed especially for a modern lifestyle with large glazed areas. "People want a maximum of daylight in their homes. Paradoxically, however, the risk of overheating used to make shading necessary exactly at those times when the sun gives the most beautiful and intensive light – namely in the summer. One then sits in the dark involuntarily while life is blooming outside. The use of switchable EControl solar control glazing maintains the view to the outside, but protects from heat and dazzling light. The panes are adjusted individually by manual or automatic control", explains Dr. Wittkopf.

How it works

The variable solar control glazing consists of a "sandwich pane" with a nanostructured coating on the inside. When low voltage is applied (3 Volts), the coating silently takes on a pleasant blue tone due to the so-called electrochromic effect. The glazing then allows only 12 to 38 percent of the solar energy to enter the room, depending on dimming intensity, which can be controlled in five steps. A fraction of between 15 and 50 percent of the daylight gets inside. An example of the glazing´s effectiveness: on hot summer days, the outer pane reaches up to 70 degrees Celsius – the inner pane, however, remains at a fairly cool 25 to 30 degrees Celsius when it is coloured to the maximum extent.

Without conventional shading systems, stylish apartments with large glazed areas create a particularly intensive connection to the surrounding nature and are highly fashionable. The panes need electricity only for switching and can be installed in conventional frame profiles like normal insulating glass panes.

Further ideal places for the application of switchable solar control glazing are conservatories, atria and skylights, because in these cases the summer sun shines especially intensively into the rooms behind the glass.

Multiple functionality for health and wellness

Additionally, the glazing provides 99.5 percent UV protection. What few people know is that conventional window glazing blocks a substantial part of the UVB radiation, which causes sunburn, but it is largely permeable to long-wave UVA rays, which can cause wrinkles and ageing. The blue light fraction, which is important for people and plants alike, also gets through – it enhances vitality and is an important factor for plant growth. Due to its high shielding effect, EControl provides good protection from external electrosmog.

As standard, EControl glazing is equipped with a high-quality thermal insulation coating, and it can also be delivered as a modern, triple-glazed insulation pane – it then provides first-class insulation against heating energy losses with a Ug value of as low as 0,5 W/m 2K. At the beginning of 2011, the maximum available pane size will be increased from 120 x 220 cm to 130 x 300 cm.
in Plauen.

The times when window glazing simply served as transparent weather protection and a source of natural daylight are over. Nowadays, glazing fulfils ever more complex functions. Electrochromic technology allows the new, switchable glazing to be adjusted to the time of day and the season. It has been developed especially for a modern lifestyle with large glazed areas. "People want a maximum of daylight in their homes. Paradoxically, however, the risk of overheating used to make shading necessary exactly at those times when the sun gives the most beautiful and intensive light – namely in the summer. One then sits in the dark involuntarily while life is blooming outside. The use of switchable EControl solar control glazing maintains the view to the outside, but protects from heat and dazzling light. The panes are adjusted individually by manual or automatic control", explains Dr. Wittkopf.