Designing surface microstructure for improving energy efficiency of SiO2 glass window by infrared emission

Abstract

Windows are among the least energy-efficient components of buildings, accounting for about 44 % of building energy consumptions. Improving the energy efficiency of windows is crucial for sustainable and eco-friendly building design. In this work, we introduce a novel glass design featuring specialized surface structures on the front side and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coatings on the rear side. Through meticulous structural engineering, the front side achieves a high emissivity of approximately 0.97, ideal for efficient heat dissipation during the summer. Notably, our study reveals a myriad of possible configurations, offering great flexibility that is expected to ease the future fabrication process. Meanwhile, the back side exhibits a low emissivity of about 0.06 due to the ITO coatings, enabling heat retention in the winter. These innovative designs are expected to reduce the average energy consumption by more than 100 MJ/m2 per year. Our approach highlights the potential of mid-infrared emissions to enhance the energy efficiency of windows, thereby advancing the development of smart windows and optimizing their energy-saving capabilities.