ClearVue partners on solar powered, energy efficient “zero window”

Perth-based clear solar glass manufacturer ClearVue Technologies announced on Wednesday it is partnering with LuxWall to build the ‘Zero Window’, expected to be the most energy-efficient and energy-generating window on the market.

ClearVue will partner with LuxWall, a US-based vacuum insulated glazing supplier, to develop and commercialise the world’s first window combining ClearVue’s solar PV glazing and LuxWall’s advanced vacuum insulated glazing.

Combining the two company’s leading technologies into one product is expected to deliver window technology that will support the construction sector in getting to net zero energy consumption.

LuxWall’s advanced vacuum insulated glazing creates high energy efficient single and double plane glazing modules, helping to reduce heating costs by up to 45%.

Paired with ClearVue’s own solar glazing technology – which offers a 22.8% reduction in solar heat gain – the Zero Window could potentially outperform all existing double-glazed low emissivity solutions while also generating power.

These pairings would then result in the world’s most efficient glazing solution and would boast unique properties such as optical transparency, lowest heat gain, and high energy generation for clear solar glass.

ClearVue and LuxWall hope to demonstrate a prototype of the Zero Window at the American Institute of Architects Conference on Architecture and Design in Washington DC in June.

“This collaboration represents a pivotal moment in the fight against climate change for the construction sector – one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions globally,” said Martin Deil, Global CEO of ClearVue.

“Vacuum insulated windows provide the best thermal performance products and minimize energy use. ClearVue technology can enhance that thermal performance even further and generate electricity at the same time, providing clean energy on site and helping meet sustainability targets.

“By combining our respective technologies, we create a solution that revolutionizes the way buildings are designed and constructed. The Zero Window will be a net-zero focused window, reducing operational carbon through both thermal insulation and power generation.

“The market for double-glazed vacuum insulated glass in North America is expected to grow fast in the next five years propelled by changes in legislation. Partnering with glazing industry innovators like LuxWall is a strategic way for ClearVue to enter the North American façade market.”

The announcement comes days after ClearVue signed its first partner for commercial rollout on Australia’s east coast and taken its first local commercial order from the Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Employees Union’s (CFMEU), in Melbourne.