Glasstech Asia - April 2020 - Newsletter

ISSUE 2
April 2020

Revolutionising The Facade Industry

IN THIS ISSUE Making Smart Glass
Technology A Reality
Making
Smart Glass Most people dream of owning smart glass. Whether it is a pair of wear-
Technology able glasses, hololens or even a smart windowpane, smart glass has
A Reality captured the imagination of many – all thanks to popular culture.

Halio® For years, Hollywood blockbusters including Iron Man, Captain
Smart-Tinting America, Minority Report, TRON: Legacy, Batman and James Bond
Glass: have been popularising the use of smart glass technology on the big
A Revolutionary screen. Today, virtual reality has found a reliable niche in gaming and
Technology mobile applications like Pokemon Go. And in many ways, these 21st
Century innovations are the most exciting of modern technology.
Amazon Seattle
HQ: Stretching Smart glasses promise to untether us physically from our mobile de-
The Boundaries vices. With the potential to offer people freedom, constant connec-
Of Innovation tivity and interaction even while on the go, smart glasses are a geek’s
dream. And technology giants are making sure that this dream trans-
lates into reality. As Sergey Brin, Google’s Co-founder, aptly puts:
“Smartphones are an emasculating and isolating nervous habit, while
(sic) smart glass offers users the promise of freedom and connection.”

1

Image Credit: Screengrab from Iron Man

In 2013, Google launched its new range norm, particularly in developed countries
of eyewear, the Google Glass Explorer. like Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
But some 18 months later, the technology Germany and Singapore where the av-
giant decided to pull them out from the erage per capita Gross Domestic Prod-
marketplace as it proved too expensive uct ranges between USD 40,000 and USD
and too clunky for the average consumer. 50,000 with an average monthly house-
Priced at USD 1,500, the Google Glass Ex- hold income of USD 45,000 to USD 60,000.
plorer is indeed a novelty, not a necessity.
It is only a matter of time that we will see
In addition to consumer affordability, the in- the man on the street sporting a pair of
vention of the Google Glass has also raised sleek-framed smart glass Tony Starks style.
several concerns about piracy and privacy.
That same year, Oculus released
the Oculus Rift VR Headset, cater-
ing to the niche demand of technolo-
gy organisations, geeks and gamers.

In 2019, Canadian startup North an-
nounced that it has developed a pair of
smart glass. At the same time, Microsoft,
Qualcomm Technologies and Magic Leap
launched their innovations, the HoloLens
2, XR Smart Glass and the Magic Leap
One, respectively. Targeted at businesses
that require AR and Smart Glass technolo-
gies, these headsets are a breakthrough
since the invention of the Google Glass.

Additionally, California-based smartphone
and tech titan Apple is reportedly work-
ing on a pair of sleek-looking AR head-
set that is targeted for release in 2023.

Although Smart Glass and Augmented
Reality headsets have yet to make the jump
to consumers, they are fast becoming a

2

Image Credit: © Halio International

Halio® Smart-Tinting Glass:
A Revolutionary Technology

AGC Inc., (formerly Asahi Glass Corporation) is renowned for its extensive range of glass
products around the world. As recent as the last three years, AGC Inc. introduced Halio®
smart-tinting glass, promising intuitive, revolutionary features including speed, uniform glass
tinting along with manual and automated operational modes.

Electrochromic glass has been around determining factors for product relevancy
for years, but it is still relatively rare to see and marketability in the 21st Century.
glass that tints uniformly from clear to dark
like a chameleon when lighting conditions Says David Yim, Sales and Marketing Man-
change. ager, Smart Glass Division, AGC Asia Pacif-
ic: “Halio’s dynamic performance allows its
At least not until AGC Inc. and Kinestral optical properties to optimise thermal and
Technologies unveiled their latest innova- visual comfort, provide glare protection and
tion: Halio®. reduce heat through the building envelope
for the occupants.”
With the ability to switch from clear to dark
in just seconds, Halio is able to intuitively de- In addition to its intuitiveness, Halio is also
liver its darkest tint in under three minutes. able to filter out 99.9 percent of ultra-violet
Developed to respond dynamically to envi- light. This helps to prolong the life of carpets,
ronmental changes, the glass is made with interior furnishings and fixtures and, more
next-generation electrochromic technol- importantly, prevent damage to upholstery
ogies that block solar heat and glare fast, and other important valuables.
thereby providing thermal comfort and re-
ducing building load by approximately 20 In recent times, climate change has been
percent. gaining worldwide traction, with environ-
mental groups like the Union of Concerned
In a smart world, speed is about everything. Scientists, Idle No More and 350.org nudging
With the pace of which society today regulators through campaigns to sit up and
evolves, companies, cars, ovens – and so listen to what these factions of civil society
do our windows – must do whatever it takes have to say.
to stay relevant. And speed is one of the key
3

Image Credit: © Halio International

Responding to the demands of environmen- glass are designed to be scalable for mul-
tal activist campaigns, governments have tiple applications and settings. And with
introduced environmentally-friendly poli- Halio, installation during construction and
cies, carbon taxes and carbon emission tar- or façade replacement is a breeze. Halio is
gets to ensure the sustainability of the earth. compatible with most framing systems and
can be installed in a range of applications
Here are three smart reasons why Halio including curtain wall, skylights and wall par-
smart-tinting glass is a must to consider for titions.
every architect, interior designer, engineer
and building consultant with inputs from Da- Halio can enhance health and well being
vid –
Electrochromic glass is more than just a
With Halio, there is no real need for blinds! smart-tinting glass on the façade. It can also
transform a building’s architecture, how it
Designed to be a smart – or some might say, responds to weather conditions and, more
“revolutionary” – product, Halio smart-tint- importantly, enhance the health and well-
ing glass tints intuitively in seconds, thanks being of the building’s occupants.
to next-generation electrochromic tech-
nology. Says David: “Halio is truly dynamic; As natural light can positively impact build-
its optical properties change state when it ing occupants’, having access to daylight
is exposed to an electrical charge. There is through smart tinting windows can improve
no power consumption needed to maintain both the indoor experience and produc-
the glass in its idle state, which is energy ef- tivity. With health and wellbeing gaining
ficient and buildings can keep the connec- greater traction in the media today, Halio’s
tion to outdoors.” fast switching within three minutes has the
speed and all-in-one solution for controlling
“Along with added benefits of technology daylight and views, without taking away the
such as Halio Cloud with proprietary control beneficial effects of natural light.
algorithms to control the glass and the In-
ternet of Things, Halio has an automatic op- Perhaps the key draw for property develop-
tion to control the windows and can be set ers and architects is that the role of buildings
to optimise users’ preferences. There’s no goes beyond just the design and material.
need for an individual to remember when Halio can bring about cost savings in light-
to open and or close the blinds.” ing energy, less dependency on cooling
and ventilation systems and increase the
Halio is easy to install building value.

Smart products like the Halio smart-tinting

4

Image Credit: Freepik.com

Uses Of High-Performance
Fluoropolymer Films
In Automobiles

Teflon, Teflzel, NEOFLON, PTFE, FEP and Furthermore, the Asia-Pacific region’s
PVDF – these are some of the many names automotive sector is set to see continued
of high-performance fluoropolymer films. growth, particularly from Thailand and
A state-of-the-art non-stick base material Indonesia, according to a report by
developed for a variety of uses, high-per- ASEAN Briefing. What this means for manu-
formance fluropolymer films are dura- facturers of high-performance fluropolymer
ble, heat-, chemical- and corrosion-re- films like Daikin Industries, AGC Incorporat-
sistant, weather- and UV-proof, making ed, Saint-Gobain and Polyflon Technology
them better, environmentally friendly al- is, unlimited regional business opportunities.
ternatives to plastics and metal sheets.
Some uses of high-performance fluropoly-
With an ever-growing demand for semi- mer films in automobiles include –
conductors, automobiles, consumer and
industrial electronics, high-performance Vehicle Frame
fluropolymer films are in demand. Global-
ly, the fluropolymer films market is expect- Thanks to its chemical- and heat-resistant
ed grow at a CAGAR rate of 4.9 percent properties, high-performance fluropolymer
from industrial electronics, high-perfor- films are applied to the chassis of vehicles,
mance fluropolymer films are in demand. replacing traditionally used materials like
metals and plastics. These include shock
Moreover a 2018 market study2 by Mar- absorber piston seals, stabiliser bar bush-
kets and Markets shows that Asia Pacif- ings, steering ball joint inserts, steering assist
ic’s insatiable appetite for electronics pump piston rings and axle venting systems.
and automobiles has fuelled the demand
for high-performance fluropolymer films.

5

Image Credit: Freepik.com

Vehicle Seats and Roof Upholstery dicators and coatings for brake shims and
clips.
To protect vehicles from wear and tear,
high-performance fluropolymers are used Vehicle Exterior Trims
as coating resins. Given that high-perfor-
mance fluoropolymers are apt at reducing Given its high-temperature resistant prop-
the overall surface tension of substrates and erties, high-performance fluropolymers are
provide water and oil repellence, they are used for vehicle exterior trims – and this in-
used to improve stain resistance of vehicle cludes the trimming of cars, buses, vans
seats, convertible components and roof up- and trucks. From power window vents, door
holstery. hinge bushing sleeves and interior fabric
protectors to coated weather stripping, this
Vehicle Power Trains material is capable of withstanding wear
and tear and deterioration as a result of
Fluropolymers are used to seal materials weathering.
against high temperatures in a transmission
system, including internal shift seal rings, High-performance fluropolymer films are
head gaskets, O₂ sensor hermetic seals, air also used in the manufacturing of vehicular
conditioning piston rings and valve stem fuel systems. These includes fuel lines, inter-
seals. connect hoses, anti-expulsion tank valves,
onboard diagnostics (OBD) sensors and
Vehicle Brakes seals.

High fluropolymer films are also used in ve- Keen on reading more of these stories? Keep your
hicle braking systems that feature anti-lock eyes peeled for more features to come. Subscribe to
brakes linked to interconnecting hoses, im- our mailing list to receive our monthly e-newsletter on
pulse hoses at wheel, brake pad wear in- the latest news on fenestration improvement, busi-
ness and much more at [email protected]!

6

Image Credit: NBBJ

Amazon Seattle Headquarters:

Stretching
The Boundaries
Of Innovation

Seems that the world’s leading innovators 64 percent and a solar heat gain coefficient
and e-commerce giants have been doing of 0.27 at the centre-of-glass in a standard
a lot of re-thinking about the future of their one-inch insulating unit.
workspaces. From Apple’s circular space-
ship campus to Facebook’s Frank-Gehry In addition to being energy-efficient, Low
designed headquarters, these organisations Iron Starphire Glass is also crystal clear, of-
have successfully integrated sustainability, fering better clarity than conventional glass
innovation and design into their environ- and for natural light to seamlessly transfer
ments. With the addition of Amazon Seattle’s from one space to the next. An impactful
spherical glass-fronted headquarters, the in- daylighting solution, low iron glass is made
ternational e-commerce giant has pushed with a low-iron formulation that gives glass
the boundaries of innovation further, incor- its heightened levels of clarity and transpar-
porating functionality and nature in design. ency.

Here are some interesting, good to know Regulates Heat
facts about Amazon Seattle’s headquarters
– To regulate heat from within the spheres, four
layers of Low Iron Starphire Glass are neatly
The Spheres Are Made Using Low Iron stacked on top of each other. Each layer of
Starphire Glass glass is encrusted with a film of specially de-
signed coating to help absorb light energy,
In view of rising global temperatures, the making it great for photosynthesis.
e-commerce giant has chosen to develop
its Seattle headquarters around the use of Which brings us to our next point – Amazon
Low Iron Starphire Glass. Designed for net-ze- Seattle’s headquarters is home to a verita-
ro carbon emissions, the material helps to ble number of flora and fauna!
achieve visible light transmittance by about
7

Image Credit: NBBJ

Its Literally A ‘Community In Bloom’ and productive than to offer them a work-
space that is bright, spacious and comfort-
To reduce greenhouse gases, the e-com- able. With temperatures ranging between
merce giant’s headquarters comprises 22 and 25 degrees Celsius, the sprawling 12
over 40,000 types of plant species from the million-square-feet office space is kept cool
cloud forest regions of some 30 countries throughout the day, ensuring employees
and equally distributed into three sections – that comfort is their priority.
Western, Eastern and Central domes. There
will always be something in bloom or some- In addition to taking care of employees’
thing an individual can smell when they get comfort, the interior is designed to sustain
up close, anytime. According to research both a large amount of plants and people’s
conducted by Plos One, being close to na- interest, while protecting the environment.
ture can result in creative thinking, which
increases employees’ productivity. All this is Plus, There’s A Living Wall Of Flora!
in line with one of Amazon’s core corporate
philosophy of “think(ing) differently”. One of the most exciting features of Ama-
zon Seattle’s headquarters is the Living Wall.
The Spheres Offer Employees Comfort and Spotlighting more than 25,000 types of plants
Sustainability woven into 4,000 square feet of mesh, this
vertical garden is itself an innovative demon-
It is no secret that our environment impacts stration of biodiversity at its best!
how we live, work and play every day. What
better way to make employees happy 8