The DOE has announced a next-generation commercial and residential window prototype that could save billions of dollars annually in energy costs. The new window concept is the result of collaboration between DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and SAGE Electrochromics.

This prototype incorporates dynamic electrochromic glass that can be electrically controlled to change from clear to dark. The prototype also includes  low emissivity glass coatings, an unsealed internal plastic triple pane, krypton gas and an insulating frame. This is the first time that all of these technologies have been optimized in an integrated fashion.

DOE’s long-term window development goal is to produce windows that are as energy efficient as today’s walls. By incorporating advanced technologies, the DOE says that windows can actually become a net-energy provider for homes. Advances in window technology will also ensure that their solar heat gain is very low in summer, which could potentially mitigate electricity demand.