Smart glass specifications: insulated glass unit

Optical, electrical, mechanical and environmental data for Smart Electronic Tint™ switchable glass, supplied as a sealed insulated glass unit (IGU), model T83. Written for architects, glaziers, interior designers and electricians.

Default state

Opaque white when unpowered

SHGC

<0.35 clear
<0.28 opaque

Max width

2000 mm White
1520 mm Grey, Black

Warranty

3 yr product
5 yr workmanship
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How it switchesUnit build-upFull specificationElectrical and controlService life and warrantyFAQ

Clear when powered. Private when not.

A switchable liquid-crystal interlayer is laminated between two glass panes. With no voltage it scatters light and the glass is opaque white. With 48–65 V AC applied it aligns and the glass turns clear. Power is drawn only while the glass is clear.
Powered (ON)

Clear

Over 82% visible light transmittance with under 3% haze. Switches from opaque to clear in under 10 ms.
Unpowered (OFF)

Opaque white

Under 10% ±2% visible light and 4% parallel light transmittance. A power failure leaves the room private, never exposed.

What's inside the unit

Three components, each available in a range of thicknesses. Total unit thickness depends on the combination you specify.
Smart glass IGU cross-section From exterior to interior: Low-E exterior pane 5 to 12 mm, sealed air space 6 to 18 mm with silver or black spacer, laminated smart glass 5+5 to 12+12 mm with switchable interlayer. Exterior Interior Low-E pane 5–12 mm Air space 6–18 mm Laminated smart glass 5+5 to 12+12 mm Switchable interlayer 48–65 V AC via busbar Spacer and seal Silver or black
Cross-section, not to scale.
Available thicknesses
Component
Options
Laminated smart glass
5+5, 6+6, 8+8, 10+10, 12+12 mm
Custom on request
Air space
6, 9, 12, 15, 18 mm
Silver or black spacer
Low-E exterior pane
5, 6, 8, 10, 12 mm

Smart glass IGU, T83: full specification

Smart glass IGU, T83
Values spanning both columns apply in either state.
Parameter
Clear (ON)
Opaque (OFF)
Optical
Appearance
Clear
Opaque white
Visible light transmittance
>82%
<10% ±2%
Parallel light transmittance
>82%
4%
Haze
<3%
-
Viewing angle
>150°
-
UV blocking
99.6%
Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)
<0.35
<0.28
Electrical
Controller input supply
110 V / 220 V AC
Working voltage
48–65 V AC
0 V
Response time, opaque → clear
<10 ms
Response time, clear → opaque
<200 ms
Current
<200 mA/m²
≈ 18.6 mA/ft²
-
Glass power consumption
<4 W/m²
<0.37 W/ft²
0 W
Controller power consumption
2–4 W/m²
≈ 0.19–0.37 W/ft²
Control modes
On, off, dimming, segments
Mechanical
Maximum width, White
2000 mm
Maximum width, Grey and Black
1520 mm
Maximum length
Not width-limited
Colours
White, Grey, Black, custom
Durability
Rated switching cycles
>80 million
Rated service life
>20 years
Environmental
Working temperature
−20 °C to 80 °C
−4 °F to 176 °F
Storage conditions
−20 °C to 60 °C, <50% RH
−4 °F to 140 °F
Manufacturer compliance
Manufacturing facility
ISO 9001, IATF 16949
Product
RoHS, CE, UL
Optical values are for White. Grey and Black units are available; confirm their optical
values for your project before you specify them.

Electrical and control

The glass never sees mains voltage. A controller steps mains down to 48–65 V AC and feeds each unit through its busbar.
01

Mains supply

Connected by a licensed electrician
02

Controller

On, off, dimming and segment control; draws 2–4 W/m²
03

Low-voltage run

48–65 V AC to each unit
04

Busbar and glass

Clear when energised, opaque when not
Sizing the load: glass draws under 4 W/m² plus 2–4 W/m² at the controller, so a 10 m² installation draws under 80 W in total. We confirm the controller specification with your electrician before install.

Rated life and what's covered

Rated life is the manufacturer's test figure. Warranty is what we stand behind. They're different numbers.
3 years

Product warranty

Covers the smart glass unit against manufacturing defects.
5 years

Workmanship warranty

Covers our installation.
>80M

Rated switching cycles

Manufacturer test rating. Not a warranty term.
>20 yr

Rated service life

Manufacturer rating. Not a warranty term.

Questions specifiers ask about smart glass

What happens in a power outage?

The glass turns opaque white. It's clear only while powered, so the unpowered state is private. A power failure never leaves a room exposed.

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Does it draw power when opaque?

The glass doesn't. It draws under 4 W/m² only when clear. The controller draws 2–4 W/m².

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Can it dim, or control zones separately?

Yes. The controller supports on, off, dimming and segment control.

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How much solar heat does it let in?

SHGC is below 0.35 when clear and below 0.28 when opaque. UV blocking is 99.6% in both states.

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What's the largest unit?

Up to 2000 mm wide in White and 1520 mm wide in Grey and Black. Length isn't limited by the width constraint.

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Who connects it to mains?

A licensed electrician. The glass runs at 48–65 V AC through a controller. We confirm control requirements with your electrician before install.

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Can the figures differ on my project?

Yes. The values here are manufacturer test data. Glass makeup, colour and unit size shift performance, so we confirm figures against your drawings before you specify.

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Keeping the existing glass?

Smart film is applied to glass already in place, in White, Grey or Black.
See smart film specifications

Specifying smart glass for a project?

Send your drawings or glazing schedule. We'll confirm unit build-up, sizes, colour and the controller spec for your electrician.
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