Development of an innovative translucent–photoluminescent coating for smart windows applications: An experimental and numerical investigation

Glazed envelopes play a strategic role in the environmental performance of buildings, significantly affecting indoor comfort and energy consumption while allowing the penetration of natural light into the interior space. Over the last few years, the research activity related to the building envelope has been focused on the achievement of higher energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality standards, looking towards promising solutions to satisfy the management of solar gains and building occupants’ needs. In this view, the present study introduces photoluminescent materials as an innovative coating for smart window applications, exploring their potential for visual comfort. An innovative, small-large scale experimental methodology is developed and applied to evaluate the dynamic response of such innovative applications under realistic boundary conditions. Results prove that a translucent–photoluminescent solution can provide a homogeneous daylight diffusion during the day and guarantee a general sense of orientation during the evening without demanding artificial lighting. Furthermore, numerical simulations showed the remarkable ability of the translucent–photoluminescent material to reduce both the intensity and the perception of glare throughout the year.