Did you know that the United States Department of Energy estimates that buildings use 75% of the country’s electricity? One area that can greatly improve building efficiency is windows with models even being created that can generate their own energy. Using windows that can properly insulate constructions can make a significant difference in a building’s overall energy efficiency. But how can you engineer these types of windows?

One innovation came about in the 1990s. According to Scientific American, researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory had back then conceived a “thin triple-pane” glass window that could cut the annual energy used for heating buildings by 39% and reduce air conditioning spending by 28%. The scientists had produced this super-efficient window by adding a thin layer of glass in its middle and sealing it with an inert gas. The end result was a window that was lighter but functioned better at insulation (keeping heat or cold in depending on the weather).

This meant it could significantly reduce emissions. Unfortunately, U.S. window manufacturers found the invention too expensive and the time and the Berkeley team gave up on their research.

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