Electric bill got you sweatin’?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science… saying…
Open the blinds! Windows let in natural light …… but also HEAT. Then you have to spend MORE MONEY cooling your house. Why don’t they make BETTER windows?!
Jia Fu from Wuhan University in China and team say… you mean WETTER windows!
They applied a clear water-based coating called hydrogel to a window in a model house. Then, they placed a light meter and a thermometer in the center of the house.
Results? The house with watered glass was BRIGHTER than those with traditional windows. AND, it was over six degrees Fahrenheit COOLER! Researchers estimate that using hydrogel-glass windows could reduce energy use by almost TEN PERCENT!
Hydrogel windows can keep buildings cool while letting in more light. They could be a more energy-efficient alternative to traditional glass windows!
Pshh. Talk about a window of opportunity!
Reference:
Fu, J., Feng, C., Liao, Y., Mao, M., Liu, H., & Liu, K. (2022). Broadband light management in hydrogel glass for energy efficient windows. Frontiers of Optoelectronics, 15(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-022-00033-4