Tetra-Fish-Inspired aesthetic thermochromic windows toward Energy-Saving buildings

Abstract

The development of architectural windows with adaptive solar modulation is promising to reduce the energy consumption of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). In the work, we report a Tetra-fish-inspired aesthetic thermochromic window based on phase-changed materials to meet both energy-saving and aesthetic demands. We demonstrate the glasses coated with photonic co-doped vanadium dioxides, which exhibit the angle-dependent vivid colors mimicking the skin of tetra fishes with high transmittance, a practical transition temperature, and an acceptable solar modulation property. The glasses give superior energy-saving performances in representative cities in the Asia Pacific, resulting in annual energy savings of up to ∼ 35.9 kWh/m2 for a typical office building. The work may inspire the future development of novel materials in building envelopes.