Many new homeowners look for houses today that are more than just four walls and a roof. The design features that they expect are an open floor plan layout, plenty of natural or bright light coming in, and, most importantly, a sense of “home. This is why smart glass is so important for creating livable spaces in the home that appear brighter, feel larger, use less energy for heating or cooling, provide greater levels of comfort to the occupants of that home, and enhance the overall appearance of the finished product.
The presence or absence of natural light within a residence can have a very profound effect on our overall experiences while there. Natural sunlight helps create a sense of space within each of the rooms, provides warmth, and creates an invitation for everyone who enters the home. On top of that, homes with ample natural light will provide an opportunity to improve your mood and reduce your stress levels by limiting your reliance on artificial lighting during the day. Smart glass designs all revolve around significantly increasing the daylight that enters your space while eliminating other issues, such as excess heat or limited privacy.
Large windows are an easy and frequently used solution for making a home feel bright and airy. Large (floor to ceiling) windows such as uPVC sliding windows, aluminium sliding windows, casement windows, and tilt & turn windows will allow an abundance of natural light to enter living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. Large windows also help establish an exceptional connection between the indoor space and outdoor spaces such as gardens, balconies, or patios. Even in a smaller house, thoughtful placement of windows can provide the illusion of an open and spacious space.
The use of glass doors is an attractive element in the design of a home. Walls in a house can have less of an impact on the amount of natural light coming into the house when the rooms are separated by no solid walls and by using sliding glass doors, folding/sliding doors, lift & slide doors, and French doors to separate the inside from the outside. In addition, opening these types of doors provides a more positive circulation of fresh air inside your home, which will also provide a much brighter and more pleasant inside atmosphere (especially in the warmer months of the year).
Technology has greatly improved glass over the past few years. The majority of the advances in smart glass give you the option to change how it looks depending on your needs and preferences. Smart glass can be turned from clear to frosted at the push of a button or through automatic sensing systems that read how much light is coming through; these advanced features will help reduce or eliminate the glare of the sun, control how much natural light comes into a room, and allow privacy without the use of window coverings. Smart glass is very much “in” for the reasons above.
Smart Glazing Systems can be used in buildings to enhance energy efficiencies and create comfortable interiors by utilizing two types of glass to assist in regulating interior temperatures in buildings: double glazing and low-e (low emissivity) glass. The combination of the two different glass types will help block the sun’s heat from entering your home in summer and retain your home’s heat in winter, thereby using less energy to heat and cool your home than could be done with traditional windows, thus providing lower utility costs and increasing environmental sustainability.
If you live in urban areas or near busy streets, you may experience noise pollution; however, with the use of Smart Glazing Systems, you can create sound insulation using either double glazing or laminated glass, thus allowing more light into your home due to increased glazing material (on the windows) while making it quieter inside your home.
You can have the aesthetic appeal of glass without sacrificing the level of safety you want in your home. The laminated and tempered types of glass are created so that they are resistant to creating sharp shards of glass when shattered, thus eliminating or drastically reducing the risk of injury due to shattering glass around people. This makes it safe to use glass products within the home (i.e., around small children and/or pets).
In addition to the safety aspect of being able to use glass as an interior design element, glass can be used in a variety of design styles, making it a versatile interior design element. No matter what design style you want to use to decorate your home, there is a way to include the use of glass in your décor, adding aesthetic value to your home, and allowing for as much light as possible to enter your home and illuminate your living area. To accomplish this, you can install glass partition walls throughout your home to create an open concept design throughout your home while still having defined boundaries between the different rooms of your home.
Designing Smart Glass well requires forethought. The angle the sun will come in at, the local climate, and how private an area needs to be should all be considered when creating designs. Incorporating Smart Glass along with other elements such as drapes, plants, and light colors provides an appropriate balance between lighting and comfort.
Designing Smart Glass for homes creates light, airy, and warm atmospheres. It provides a natural light source, added energy efficiency, more style to homes, and accommodates today’s lifestyle needs. It is possible to create homes where people enjoy their environments if they choose the right windows with Smart Glass.
Mr.Dinesh Chandra Pandey, Founder, Shankar Fenestrations & Glasses
