Australian smart building materials company ClearVue Technologies has entered a collaboration agreement with Dutch firm Elstar Dynamics, a developer of a dynamic switchable glazing technology based on electrophoresis.
 
Elstar’s technology combines electrophoretic responsive inks, transparent electrophoretic interlayer substrates and proprietary control software and hardware, and is said to offer contrast ratios, faster switching, dimmability and lower power demands compared with other switchable glazing products on the market.
 
The agreement sets out the terms for a collaboration for the promotion, distribution and joint development of ClearVue’s integrated glazing unit (IGU) and smart solar window combined with Elstar’s smart electrophoretic dynamic switchable glazing, to produce a wireless smart window that is capable of energy production and lighting control.
 
ClearVue and Elstar plan to work together to develop a prototype combining the intellectual property and technologies of both companies for the purpose of proof-of-concept demonstration and testing.
 
Subject to any potential shipping delays due to the Covid-19 virus, ClearVue is to supply sample IGUs to Elstar in the coming weeks with a view to completing testing on an initial version of a combined product as soon as possible.
 
If the trial is successful, a larger version is to be produced for demonstration purposes.
 
Subject to satisfactory results in the trial, the companies will discuss forming a joint venture or other arrangement whereby the parties’ products and technologies are combined into one final product that they can bring to market and promote together
 
“The Elstar dynamic glazing technologies are at the cutting edge of the glazing industry and are a perfect fit for ClearVue’s photovoltaic glazing technologies,” said ClearVue executive chairman Victor Rosenberg. “Elstar’s electrophoretic switching requires power inside the IGU or window to operate the control systems for switching and dimming the glass and for powering and maintaining the state change in Elstar’s electrophoretic interlayer, which we are confident that the ClearVue PV can provide. The first step is to complete the initial trial and then we look forward to working with Elstar to scale their product to be suitable for commercial use and sale with a view to combining this into a market leading end product.”
 
Elstar CEO Anthony Slack added: “Combining the ClearVue PV IGU with Elstar Dynamics’ electrophoretic dynamic glazing seems a compelling opportunity. Getting power to a window, especially in a retrofit application is not an easy task and is expensive.”
 
By combining the PV, battery and electrophoretic dynamic glazing, users can benefit from autonomous windows that are energy-efficient, generate power, offer comfort and control of lighting levels, can be automatically controlled or can integrate with smart control and IoT building control and management systems, all without the necessity for expensive and difficult to integrate wiring to be connected to the windows to operate them.
 
“We are very excited to be working with ClearVue on this initial trial and then, subject to its success, look forward to working with ClearVue to explore licensing and sales opportunities together,” said Slack.