Smart glass has become a more integral part of modern architecture in many commercial buildings. Smart glass enables users to adjust the amount of light passing through by altering the electric current.

This type of switchable glass can interchange between looking completely transparent to fully opaque within seconds, at the touch of a button.

This kind of convenience, in addition to its efficiency and transparency, are some reasons why smart glass has gained popularity in different parts of the globe.

In this article, we’ll explore how smart glass can improve brand image, and how it can take your corporate interior design one step further.

The Smart Glass Window and Its Commercial Applications

A smart glass window changes its transparency when it is influenced by external temperature or remote control. 

Depending on the needs of the user, the glass can appear transparent, translucent, or opaque. Smart glass technology allows users to control the amount of light, heat, and glare that penetrates the glass in just a matter of seconds. These benefits make switchable glass ideal for both residential and commercial use.

Where can you use smart glass? The simple answer is, wherever you find glass!

Commercial applications for smart glass are virtually endless and only limited by your imagination. 

Here are some of the commercial applications of smart glass in office exterior design and hotel buildings:

1. Partitions

Glass partitions are the easiest way to divide up space in offices and hotels without remodeling. When in opaque mode, the glass optimizes floor plans and minimizes distractions in office spaces. 

This increases productivity among employees. In hotels, the glass partitions create a spacious light-filled atmosphere and privacy on demand.

2. Dividers

Using smart glass dividers as opposed to traditional cloth dividers in offices and hotels minimizes the spread of infection. At the same time, these leave an open space above the eye level to allow for open communication. Implementing dividers at eye level provides a sense of privacy because the person in the next ‘room’ cannot see you.

3. Pods

These pods come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and designs. With smart glass, the possibilities are endless. You can create ergonomic and comfortable areas for introverted employees who seek a bit more personal space when working. Not only are these pods easy to clean and disinfect but they also offer the occupants instant privacy when the need arises.

Types of Smart Glass in Malaysia

Just as there are many smart glass Malaysia manufacturers, there are different types of smart glass that are not made equal. That’s why you should make sure that you get yours from a reliable and reputable manufacturer like Chiefway Malaysia. Smart glass is well-known for switching from transparent to frosted and vice versa on command. 

How does smart glass work? When electricity is channeled into it, it forces the molecules in the glass to arrange themselves in a way that makes the glass transparent. When the power ceases, the molecules go back to a random formation, making the panel opaque.

In as much as smart glass and smart film work using the same principle, they’re two different products. Smart film is a thin PDLC (polymer-dispersed liquid crystal glass) film that is applied to already installed glass panels. Smart glass, on the other hand, is formed by laminating smart film onto a glass panel. 

Let’s take a look at the different types of smart glass and smart film in Malaysia:

  Types of smart glass include 

• Standard Clear Glass
• Hollow Glass
• Brilliant Color Glass 
• Fireproof Glass
• One-way Glass
• Blinds Smart glass
• Pattern Blinds Smart Glass

Types of Smart Film include 

• S-film
• S-mirror
• S-window
• S-window touch.

People use the different types of smart glass in commercial buildings for different reasons. 

Some of the benefits of smart glass for building facades include:

1. Allowing natural light to pass through, boosting productivity among employees

2. Encouraging connectedness amongst employees while still providing the much-needed privacy

3. Giving a good view of the outdoors while soundproofing the interior of outside noises

4. Optimizing square footage, making spaces appear larger

5. Being used as a whiteboard and projection surface

6. Helping save on heating, cooling, and lighting costs

7. Acting as a barrier against forced entry

How a Smart Glass Window Can Improve Brand Image: 7 Ways To Enhance Your Corporate Image

The office and business space for any business are just but a physical extension of their corporate image. How you design your office or business premises determines whether your corporate image will be enhanced or not. This means that it’s very important that it be designed accordingly – matching the company colors and culture.

One sure way of enhancing the brand image is with intelligent glass. 

Smart glass improves the brand image in the following ways:

1. Modern Outlook

Smart glass is guaranteed to give any building a modern look. It’s more aesthetically pleasing compared to other solutions like permanently frosted glass or plain glass fitted with blinds. 

You can install it on the interior, exterior, and other special daylighting architecture fixtures such as skylights to make the building look even more attractive. The best part is that you can have this solution customized to your liking. 

2. Transforms Space to Increase Functionality

Owing to the fact that smart glass can be customized in many ways, including it into your construction significantly increases property value. Smart glass makes your windows or partitions multi-functional. 

Smart switchable glass technology is also incredibly versatile, as it can be used in the most innovative ways you can think of. You’re guaranteed to find a customizable solution for you no matter what smart glass application you’re interested in. 

Smart glass instantly transforms your windows into a multipurpose projection screen. This allows you to live-stream images, videos, and text that interacts with shoppers. The solution can also double up as a whiteboard for meetings.

3. Makes an Unforgettable Impression

Storefront or office front windows are very valuable advertising spaces. Changing these to include your dynamic marketing ideas will catch your potential customer’s eyes when they’re passing by.

Even if they don’t step into the business premises, you’ll be sure to leave a lasting impression on them.

Since it’s also long-lasting, you can rest assured that your modern personalized smart glass design will last for a long time.

It has a lifespan of between 15 to 20 years. This gives you a lot of time to make your brand memorable to clients and employees alike.

4. Shows Knowledge of Current Trends

Business premises and offices that have smart glass installed stand out more compared to others using more traditional solutions.

It shows your customers that you’re more than ready and willing to invest, experiment, innovate, and improve on brand image message delivery. 

Renovating your premises to accommodate new and sustainable technology helps to turn your building into a high performance building.

With these upgrades, your clients, customers and employees will regard your brand with high esteem. 

5. Sustainability and Energy-saving

Smart glass technology allows users to continuously tell their stories as these controllable solutions offer so much more than just optical style choice.

This eliminates the frustration associated with old-fashioned window stickers that fade and need to be manually changed often.

With all that the smart glass window displays have to offer, at the end of the day you also save up so many costs in energy.

Very little electricity is required to keep them running. 

6. Conducive Workplace Environment

Thanks to smart glass technology, you can now offer your employees a wide range of privacy solutions.

Office partitions, for example, minimize distractions thus increasing employee productivity.

When the temperatures in the office are well-maintained, the employees are comfortable enough to keep working for the required amount of hours.

You don’t want the lighting intensity to be too strong either, or that’ll create unwanted glares. 

7. Prioritizes Hygiene and Safety

Disinfecting, cleaning and maintaining smart glass is easy. On the other hand, brick walls, curtains, and blinds are more prone to attracting germs and bacteria. Eliminating hygiene concerns shows your employees that you care a lot about their health. 

Smart glass meets different needs for better safety and security. It is shatterproof, fireproof, and bulletproof.

The fact that it also transforms to opaque means that you can stop showing your merchandise, especially at night, so as not to jeopardize store security.

Summary

Smart glass offers innovative functions supporting endless opportunities for targeted advertising and branding.

With the touch of a button, switchable glass transitions to a dynamic aesthetic medium that steals the show with displays of promos, sales, and merchandise.

Many commercial buildings such as offices and hotels are leveraging smart glass to upgrade the look and feel of their spaces and to improve their brand image. 

If you’re looking to improve your brand image, the incorporation of smart glass can make a huge difference.  

Visit Chiefway and talk to our team of experts to find out how our different smart glass options can be customized to suit your needs.