In Brief

The Challenge

Climate change is leading to the situation where air conditioning is becoming the norm even in northern Europe during summer. This problem is set to get worse. Much of the heat comes into buildings through the windows in summer. Modern high-rise buildings tend to have larger and larger windows, making the problem more acute

The Solution

Develop a smart coating for architectural glass that will change its properties as a function of ambient temperature. As the temperature increases the coating should become more reflective thus reducing the amount of energy coming through the window with solar light. The coating is based on vanadium oxide doped (meaning made less pure) to change the properties of the material. This oxide has a phase transition between a metallic and an insulating state at around 50° C and the doping can change the transition temperature and the width of the transition. 

The Team 

  • Team Lead: Prof. Igor Shvets, Trinity College Dublin  
  • Team Co-Lead: Dr Sarah McCormack, Trinity College Dublin  

Societal Impact Champion 

  • Mike Stenson, Kingspan