Leitat – Smart windows for smart buildings
EARTO Innovation Awards 2021 – Impact Expected Category
The building sector accounts for more than a third of the global energy consumption. More than half of this energy is used for heating, cooling and lighting. Glazed facades are still the main source of energy leakage, as they are designed to operate at a fixed condition, while both outdoor and indoor conditions are dynamic variables. Heat gain and loss through windows are therefore responsible for 45% of residential heating and cooling energy use.
Innovation: EARTO member Leitat developed a plasmochromic window to respond to the ever-changing lighting, heating and cooling buildings’ requirements. Based on an innovative fabrication process, it can selectively control the incoming near-infrared solar radiation and visible radiation. Leitat’s window integrates sensors and batteries turning them into a unique autonomous innovative facade concept.
Impact Expected: Leitat’s innovation is expected to reach the market within the next 30 to 36 months. The implementation of this technology has the potential to reduce the building’s energy consumption by more than 35%, with respect to the top performing commercially available solar control windows. Plasmochromic technology reduces the cost to a range of 250–400€/m2, compared to current commercial solutions which cost approximately 1,000€/m2.
Leitat is a leading Catalan RTO that offers disruptive solutions to the technological needs of companies, with a clear orientation towards generating competitive value.
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