The potential of switchable glazing in cooling dominated climates

Abstract

The design trend of most commercial and office buildings over the past three decades focused on attaining a façade design with the highest possible window to wall ratio. Whereas this approach appears to satisfy the aesthetic scope of developing buildings that look ‘modern and transparent’ to maximise on real estate value, the demand for heating and cooling of these buildings tends to fall short of what one should expect. Literature review shows the possible benefits of switchable glass. This paper proposes a methodology for a novel switchable glazing assembly identified as having the potential of offering increased occupant comfort, particularly in providing sufficient daylight and glare control without diminishing the view quality. The hypothesis is that switchable glazing may have a substantial potential to achieve lower cooling loads and improved indoor visual comfort without compromising views and a positive outlook.