Nanogel Windows

Abstract

This chapter deals with the application of highly energy-efficient windows and skylights with silica nanogel as a strategy in the building refurbishment. Aerogel windows seem to have the largest potential for improving the thermal performance and daylight in fenestration industry, because of very low conductivity, density, and a good optical transparency. A state-of-the-art review of nanogel windows in building applications is firstly presented. Then, the proprieties of nanogel glazings in terms of thermal, lighting, and acoustic insulation solutions are discussed. Finally, the potential of the nanogel windows for energy saving in order to achieve a nearly zero-energy building is described, thanks to the results of a case study.

Solar energy materials for thermal applications: A primer

“…Silica aerogel can be manufactured by supercritical drying of colloidal silica gel under high temperature and pressure [71][72][73][74]. The material comprises ~1-nm-diameter silica particles that are interconnected and form a sparsely packed structure with pore sizes of 1 to 100 nm.…”

High tech startup creation for energy efficient built environment

“…The former has a higher light transmittance and lower U-values. Buratti and Moretti [76,77] compared the performance of seven different glazings and found that granular aerogel glazing was the most efficient system especially for cold climates leading to an annual energy demand decrease of about 10-20% when compared to the standard glazings. The advantages in using aerogel glazing have been recently confirmed by other authors [78,79].…”

A proposal on a new curriculum for the smart eco-efficient built environment

“…Aerogel based windows constitute very promising high tech alternatives. Buratti and Moretti (2013) compared the performance of seven different glazings and found that granular aerogel glazing was the most efficient systems especially for cold climates leading to an annual energy demand decreases of about 10-20% when compared to the standard glazings. However, the eco-efficiency of aerogel windows still remains to be proven by life cycle assessment investigations.…”