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A brief history

The history of Intelligent Glass begins 12 years ago when its parent company – innovative British technology firm Pro Display – was using Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) film as a rear projection screen that could switch clear when not in use.

After realising the potential for this ‘switchable film’ as a privacy glass solution in the construction and glazing industries, Intelligent Glass was born.

Intelligent Glass proceeded to develop a range of smart glass products, the widest available, which is now manufactured for trade customers worldwide including architects, installers, fit-out firms, interior designers, homebuilders and more.

Initially, the switchable film was sold as a retrofit solution to add controllable privacy to existing glass. Customers were mainly corporate offices and meeting spaces, and Intelligent Glass began to build its brand.

The Intelligent Glass range

Known today for product quality, reliability, and flexibility of installation, Intelligent Glass has developed the basic switchable technology into a full range of smart glass solutions.

Initially, there was a single glazed, toughened panel with the switchable layer factory-coated to one side. This product continues to serve the glass partition market extremely well.

Since then, laminated glass has been added, using a secret factory process to sandwich the switchable layer between glass. This process enhances the clarity of the switchable glass when in its powered, transparent state, whilst adding strength and insulating properties to the glass panel.

More recently double and triple glazed units have joined the Intelligent Glass family. Complete with warm edge spacers, low E/low iron glass, and argon filling, the units carry green energy credentials in addition to unmistakeable sense of style!

Recent innovation

An innovative battery-powered door vision panel is about to complete its fire rating tests, ready to hit the market. Designed for applications such as meeting rooms, residential entry doors, custodial rooms, healthcare and more, the panels remove the need for expensive and disruptive cabling work.

All of the switching and power components are contained in a small unit concealed within the door itself, just like the body of a mortise lock.

Residential case study: Number 23

Two recent high profile installations won awards for their architects.

On the residential side is Number 23, a home designed, built and lived in by its architect Matt White. The full height box window on the front of the property was treated with Intelligent Glass switchable film to give privacy to the landing beyond.

Commercial case study: Wokingham Medical Centre

And on the commercial side, Barbara Weiss Architects specified Intelligent Glass double glazing for its award-winning refurbishment of Wokingham Health Centre.

The double glazed units give instant privacy for patients in the treatment rooms, whilst still allowing plenty of diffused light into the building. The use of Intelligent Glass also allowed the Health Centre to do away with blinds and curtains, removing the cost and hassle of maintenance and cleaning.

Smart glass on a smart new website

Intelligent Glass relaunched its website in October 2015, making it easier to read on mobile devices whilst also adding more images and videos of its switchable smart glass in action. It also features applications and market sectors in which Intelligent Glass is seeing growing interest.

Find out more at intelligentglass.net