How Smart Glass is Revolutionizing your Residential Quarters

Smart glass or smart film is a switch able glass with a high level of privacy, which is making major changes in smart glass manufacturers in residential and commercial buildings. One can even refer to them as privacy glasses.

In layman’s terms, this technology affects the light passing and reflecting off of transparent materials. This allows these materials to appear either transparent or opaque. This technology helps to resolve the problems in modern glass, providing adequate lighting, natural views, and also better energy consumption and privacy.

Smart Glass and its types

The Smart glass mostly is dynamic in nature. The material controls different forms of light in various wavelengths. This includes visible light, Ultraviolet rays, and Infrared. This allows it to change its behaviour from transparent to opaque on the user’s demand.

Smart films can be put to use on windows, wall partitions, and a lot of other surfaces. Smart film application is widespread across various fields from architecture to interior designs and automotive to consumer electronics. It is mainly of 2 types in

If the glass requires an electric charge to change its opacity, it is considered active. Else it is called passive. But mostly, the smart film refers to the active glasses  which are activated on application of a charge.  This changes the appearance and functioning of the glass.

Smart Glass technologies

Various smart film producers aim to meet varying needs. There is a diverse number of glasses available to choose from based on the user’s needs.

  • PDLC glass – used for privacy partitions
  • SPD glass – changing the tint in windows of buildings and Automotives
  • Electrochromic  glass
  • Photochromic glass
  • Thermochromic glass

The last three are different types of coatings allowing a smoother shade.


With electricity the glass is switched from opaque to transparent, allowing for dynamic light control. In the off state, the particles are mostly scattered around, creating an opaque view that offers privacy, colorful tint, heat and luminosity conteol, or projection. When it is on, the particles align, and create a transparent view for natural light and a brighter and livelier atmosphère. 

A major trait that all smart films have are, to change the opacity of the glass via polarization. Polarizing allows uniform lining up of molecules and particles within the formulation in PDLC devices or emulsions in  SPD devices. 

When in the off state, the scattered particles inhibit light rays from passing through the glass. But when it is given a charge, the liquid crystals in the PDLC and SPD start to polarize, and allow light to pass through. This results in zero opacity and creates complete transparency. 

With varying the voltage levels, the opacity, the shade, and light intensity of the glass can be varied, as the user prefers. Switchable glass also uses  transformers and controllers to manage the power flowing through it.

Application of Smart film in Residential

Smart films in windows, doors, and partitions are starting to become popular a lot in the residential sector.

To make homes more energy-efficient, solar controllable PDLC devices are being used to reduce the infra-red light which creates heat. SPD is used to shade, and keep the living spaces cool thus lowering your AC costs.

High Temp LCG Films are also used on liquid crystal based glasses for outdoor windows to provide increased privacy and reduce costs on screens and blinds.

Smart Films also maintains the amount of light intensity in your room. It manages and prevents the level of UV from entering the space.

Also, it can also be used as a screen for a home theatre, where you can project your movies on.