NextGlass is developing super-insulating vacuum windows that offer insulation comparable to walls. The company has invented a low-temperature fabrication method for vacuum windows that can be mass-produced at a cost similar to existing dual-pane windows, paving the way for significant disruption in the window industry.
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Ratnesh Tiwari
Ratnesh Tiwari is co-founder and CEO of NextGlass. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and B.S. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Before joining NextGlass, he worked for companies such as Larsen and Toubro Limited, ADNOC, and the University of Maryland. He has received several research grant awards from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and ARPA-E.
TECHNOLOGY
Critical Need
Every year, about $42B in energy losses flows out of windows in the United States, representing about seven percent of U.S. CO2 emissions. Current dual-pane insulated glass units (IGUs) achieve an R-value of three, whereas walls range from R15 to R30. Vacuum-insulated windows (VIGs) have the potential to achieve similar insulation levels. However, although VIGs have been in development for over 30 years, they have not penetrated the market significantly due to their high cost and durability concerns compared to double-pane IGUs.
Technology Vision
NextGlass is developing a novel process to fabricate low-cost VIG windows that are five times more insulating than regular dual-pane windows and as insulating as walls. Traditional VIGs are manufactured at high temperatures using costly equipment, making them unaffordable. NextGlass is developing a novel fabrication process that reduces VIG cost by 80 percent, facilitating economical replacement of single- and double-pane windows.
Potential for Impact
If dual-pane windows are replaced by R15 windows, we can cut window-related energy loss by 80 percent and save about three quads of energy—equivalent to taking 35 million cars off the road. Upon widespread implementation, this VIG technology has the potential to annually save up to $32B in energy bills and 140M tons of annual CO2 emissions.
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