Global and regional perspectives on optimizing thermo-responsive dynamic windows for energy-efficient buildings

Gao, Yuan; Jonsson, Jacob C.; Curcija, D. Charlie; Vidanovic, Simon; Hong, Tianzhen

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-54967-8

Title: Global and regional perspectives on optimizing thermo-responsive dynamic windows for energy-efficient buildings

Journal Article · 02 January 2025 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54967-8 · OSTI ID:2523646

^[1]; Jonsson, Jacob C. ^[1]; Curcija, D. Charlie ^[1]; Vidanovic, Simon ^[1];

^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Architectural thermo-responsive dynamic windows offer an autonomous solution for solar heat regulation, thereby reducing building energy consumption. Previous work has emphasized the significance of thermo-responsive windows in hot climates due to their role in solar heat control and subsequent energy conservation; conversely, our study provides a different perspective. Through a global-scale analysis, we explore over 100 material samples and execute more than 2.8 million simulations across over two thousand global locations. World heatmap results, derived from well-trained artificial neural network models, reveal that thermo-responsive windows are especially useful in climates where buildings demand both heating and cooling energy, whereas thermo-responsive windows with optimal transition temperatures show no dynamic features in most of low-latitude tropical regions. Additionally, this study provides a practical guideline and an open-source mapping tool to optimize the intrinsic properties of thermo-responsive materials and evaluate their energy performance for sustainable buildings at various geographical scales.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Building Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 2523646

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 16; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (30)

Emerging Thermal-Responsive Materials and Integrated Techniques Targeting the Energy-Efficient Smart Window Application Ke, Yujie; Zhou, Chengzhi; Zhou, Yang Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 28, Issue 22 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201800113	journal	April 2018
Thermochromic Hydrogels with Dynamic Solar Modulation and Regulatable Critical Response Temperature for Energy‐Saving Smart Windows Xu, Gang; Xia, Huan; Chen, Pengyu Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 32, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202109597	journal	October 2021
Entanglement in Smart Hydrogels: Fast Response Time, Anti‐Freezing and Anti‐Drying Feng, Yuqin; Wang, Shancheng; Li, Yaqin Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 33, Issue 21 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202211027	journal	March 2023
Self‐Adhesive Self‐Healing Thermochromic Ionogels for Smart Windows with Excellent Environmental and Mechanical Stability, Solar Modulation, and Antifogging Capabilities Li, Bing; Xu, Fuchang; Guan, Tingting Advanced Materials, Vol. 35, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202211456	journal	March 2023
Smart Thermally Switchable Liquid Crystal Window Jiang, Yingfei; Zhou, Yaqing; Wang, Meng Advanced Photonics Research, Vol. 2, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/adpr.202000156	journal	March 2021
Electrochromic Metal Oxides: Recent Progress and Prospect Wu, Wei; Wang, Man; Ma, Jianmin Advanced Electronic Materials, Vol. 4, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201800185	journal	June 2018
Thermochromic Halide Perovksite Windows with Ideal Transition Temperatures Rosales, Bryan A.; Kim, Janghyun; Wheeler, Vincent M. Advanced Energy Materials https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202203331	journal	February 2023
WorldClim 2: new 1-km spatial resolution climate surfaces for global land areas: NEW CLIMATE SURFACES FOR GLOBAL LAND AREAS Fick, Stephen E.; Hijmans, Robert J. International Journal of Climatology, Vol. 37, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.5086	journal	May 2017
Recent Progress in Liquid Crystal‐Based Smart Windows: Materials, Structures, and Design Shen, Wenbo; Li, Guoqiang Laser & Photonics Reviews, Vol. 17, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202200207	journal	November 2022
Thermochromic smart window technologies for building application: A review Aburas, Marina; Soebarto, Veronica; Williamson, Terence Applied Energy, Vol. 255 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113522	journal	December 2019
Data-driven key performance indicators and datasets for building energy flexibility: A review and perspectives Li, Han; Johra, Hicham; de Andrade Pereira, Flavia Applied Energy, Vol. 343 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121217	journal	August 2023
Daylight performance analysis of TiO2@W-VO2 thermochromic smart glazing in office buildings Salamati, Mohammad; Mathur, Pegah; Kamyabjou, Ghazal Building and Environment, Vol. 186 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107351	journal	December 2020
Faster or slower decarbonization? Policymaker and stakeholder expectations on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global energy transition Pianta, Silvia; Brutschin, Elina; van Ruijven, Bas Energy Research & Social Science, Vol. 76 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102025	journal	June 2021
Dynamic Windows with Neutral Color, High Contrast, and Excellent Durability Using Reversible Metal Electrodeposition Barile, Christopher J.; Slotcavage, Daniel J.; Hou, Jingye Joule, Vol. 1, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2017.06.001	journal	September 2017
Thermochromic VO2 for Energy-Efficient Smart Windows Cui, Yuanyuan; Ke, Yujie; Liu, Chang Joule, Vol. 2, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.06.018	journal	September 2018
Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows Li, Xin-Hao; Liu, Chang; Feng, Shien-Ping Joule, Vol. 3, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019	journal	January 2019
Adaptive Thermochromic Windows from Active Plasmonic Elastomers Ke, Yujie; Yin, Yin; Zhang, Qiuting Joule, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.12.024	journal	March 2019
Porous Polymers with Switchable Optical Transmittance for Optical and Thermal Regulation Mandal, Jyotirmoy; Jia, Mingxin; Overvig, Adam Joule, Vol. 3, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.09.016	journal	December 2019
Liquid Thermo-Responsive Smart Window Derived from Hydrogel Zhou, Yang; Wang, Shancheng; Peng, Jinqing Joule, Vol. 4, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.09.001	journal	November 2020
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based smart hydrogels: Design, properties and applications Tang, Lin; Wang, Ling; Yang, Xiao Progress in Materials Science, Vol. 115 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2020.100702	journal	January 2021
Structure modulated amorphous/crystalline WO3 nanoporous arrays with superior electrochromic energy storage performance Shi, Yingdi; Sun, Mingjun; Zhang, Yong Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 212 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2020.110579	journal	August 2020
Applications of thermochromic and electrochromic smart windows: Materials to buildings Wu, Shuangdui; Sun, Hongli; Duan, Mengfan Cell Reports Physical Science, Vol. 4, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101370	journal	May 2023
Energy-Saving Smart Windows with HPC/PAA Hybrid Hydrogels as Thermochromic Materials Zhang, Liangmiao; Xia, Hui; Xia, Fang ACS Applied Energy Materials, Vol. 4, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.1c01854	journal	August 2021
Mask-inspired moisture-transmitting and durable thermochromic perovskite smart windows Liu, Sai; Li, Yang; Wang, Ying Nature Communications, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45047-y	journal	January 2024
Thermochromic halide perovskite solar cells Lin, Jia; Lai, Minliang; Dou, Letian Nature Materials, Vol. 17, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-017-0006-0	journal	January 2018
How to be smart and energy efficient: A general discussion on thermochromic windows Long, Linshuang; Ye, Hong Scientific Reports, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep06427	journal	September 2014
Active and passive modulation of solar light transmittance in a hybrid thermochromic soft-matter system for energy-saving smart window applications Liang, Xiao; Chen, Mei; Wang, Qian Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Vol. 6, Issue 26 https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC01274A	journal	January 2018
An Edge-Heating Device for Optical Measurement of Thermochromic Glazing Materials and Recommended Test Procedure Jonsson, Jacob C.; Goudey, Howdy; Curcija, Charlie Journal of Testing and Evaluation, Vol. 42, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1520/JTE20120341	journal	March 2014
U.S. Department of Energy Commercial Reference Building Models of the National Building Stock Deru, M.; Field, K.; Studer, D. https://doi.org/10.2172/1009264	report	February 2011
A Systematic Review of the Most Recent Concepts in Smart Windows Technologies with a Focus on Electrochromics Brzezicki, Marcin Sustainability, Vol. 13, Issue 17 https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179604	journal	August 2021

Similar Records

Photovoltaic windows cut energy use and CO₂ emissions by 40% in highly glazed buildings

Journal Article · 2022 · One Earth · OSTI ID:1901927

Wheeler, Vincent M.; Kim, Janghyun; Daligault, Tom; +4 more

Parametric study of solid-solid translucent phase change materials in building windows

Journal Article · 2021 · Applied Energy · OSTI ID:1813795

Gao, Yuan; Zheng, Qiye; Jonsson, Jacob C.; +5 more

Electrochromic Window Demonstration at the 911 Federal Building, 911 Northeast 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Technical Report · 2016 · OSTI ID:1506249

Lee, Eleanor S.; Fernandes, Luis L.; Touzani, Samir; +3 more

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION

Title: Global and regional perspectives on optimizing thermo-responsive dynamic windows for energy-efficient buildings

Citation Formats

References (30)

Similar Records

Related Subjects