Smart glass for offices: how switchable glass works, where to use it and what drives the cost

How switchable glass works

A thin film of liquid crystals sits between two layers of glass, or between the glass and a protective layer. When a low current runs through the film, the crystals align and light passes straight through: the glass is clear. When the power is off, the crystals scatter the light and the glass becomes translucent white.

• Privacy, not blackout. In the opaque state daylight still passes and shapes behind the glass are blurred. It hides screens and faces, not light.
• Power only when clear. Standard systems use electricity only in the clear state.
• A screen when opaque. The milky surface works as a projection screen for presentations.

Laminated smart glass or smart film?

Where to use it in an office

• Meeting rooms and boardrooms. Open and bright between meetings, private during them.
• Executive offices. Visible to the team, closed for calls.
• Interview, HR and finance rooms. Privacy when it is needed, without heavy walls.
• Clinics and wellness rooms. Treatment rooms that stay connected to daylight.
• Sales offices and show apartments. A glass wall that changes the room during a presentation.
• Reception walls. An opaque glass wall used as a screen for the company logo or video.

What to plan with the fit-out

• Panel sizes and joints. Each panel has its own film. Plan the joints with the partition design so they line up with doors and mullions.
• Wiring. Cables run through the partition frame, the ceiling or the floor to a transformer or controller. Decide where it sits and how it is reached for maintenance.
• Doors. Doors need a cable path through the hinge side. Agree the details with the supplier before the doors are ordered.
• Control. A wall switch, a remote, or a connection to the building management or meeting room booking system.
• Zones. A wall can be split into separately switched areas, for example a band at seated eye level.
• Sound. Smart glass gives visual privacy, not acoustic privacy. Sound insulation depends on the glass thickness, laminated glass and the seals of the partition.

Smart glass or other privacy options?

A common mix: smart glass for the main meeting rooms and executive offices, frosted film bands on the rest of the partitions.

What drives the cost

• The area in square metres.
• Laminated glass or film on existing glass.
• Panel sizes and shapes: very large or non-rectangular panels cost more.
• Glass type and thickness required for the partition.
• Wiring, transformers and the control system.
• Doors as well as fixed panels.
• Installation access, for example night work in an occupied tower.

Send the partition elevations with sizes, or photos with dimensions of existing glass, for a quotation.

Care

• Clean with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive glass cleaner.
• On film, avoid scraping blades and soaking the edges with water.
• Do not stick labels or tape on the active area.