A Comparative Study on Smart Windows Focusing on Climate-Based Energy Performance and Users’ Comfort Attributes

Abstract

A facade can control interaction between the building and the environment. Advancements in control technologies and material science give the opportunity of using smart windows in a high-performance facade to improve the building’s energy performance and users’ comfort. This study aims to propose practical recommendations for smart windows’ implementation over various climate zones across the world. To follow this aim, 54 studies published from 2013 to 2022 collected from architecture, engineering, and material science databases and have been reviewed, and seven types of smart windows including electrochromic, photovoltachromic, gasochromic, thermochromic, photochromic, hydrochromic, and Low-E have been identified. Moreover, the thermal properties and visual features of smart coatings used in the windows and their impacts on energy efficiency and users’ comfort were recognized. Then, a comparative study was conducted to identify and propose the most efficient coating utilized in the structure of smart windows across different climate zones.