LuxWall’s Net Zero Glass works a little like a thermos bottle that vacuum-seals in the warmth of a morning coffee. The Ypsilanti, Michigan-based, startup says its design, which consists of two vacuum-insulated coated glass panes, can retain heat four times more effectively than single-pane windows.
Buildings account for 30% of global energy consumption, according to the International Energy Agency. That has prompted cities such as New York and Vancouver to pass legislation limiting emissions tied to the structures. Scott Thomsen, LuxWall’s co-founder and chief executive officer, says the company’s glass could reduce a building’s carbon emissions by 35%-45%.
LuxWall’s glass isn’t designed solely to hold in heat. Just like an insulated coffee cup can also keep cold drinks icy, the glass installation prevents outdoor heat from transferring into a building and traps in air conditioning, reducing cooling costs by 20%, according to the company. The glass can be inserted into existing window frames, and LuxWall said it has sold roughly 2,500 glass panes — mainly to private office buildings — since launching in 2016.
Because escaping heat is invisible, “people don’t really see the problem”, says Michael Doust, director of urban efficiency and climate at the World Resources Institute. But, he concedes, if LuxWall’s solution were “brought to scale, this would have a competitive edge”.
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