Innovative electrochromic devices: Energy savings and visual comfort effects

Adaptive facades, like electrochromic (EC) smart windows, represent the next generation of glazing with dynamic modulation of transparency, to suitably modulate the daylight and solar energy entering buildings. A study is reported, dealing with the manifold effects of building integration of an innovative solid-state EC device, assessing effects on the building energy balance and daylighting performance, in terms of Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and Discomfort Glare Index (DGI). All the analyses were carried out using the experimental results, reporting the main figures of merit of EC devices as an input for building simulations, in the EnergyPlus software.