Durability issues and service lifetime prediction of electrochromic windows for buildings applications

In general, the purposes of this paper are to elucidate the crucial importa nce of durability and service lifetime prediction (SLP) for electrochromic windows (ECWs) and to present an outline for developing a SLP methodology f or ECWs. The specific objectives are (a) to illustrate the generic nature o f SLP for several types of solar energy conversion or energy conservation d evices, (b) to summarize the major durability issues associated with ECWs, (c) to justify using SLP in the triad of cost, performance, and durability rather than just durability, (d) to define and explain the seven major elem ents that constitute a generic SLP methodology, (e) to provide background f or implementing the SLP methodology for ECWs, including the complexity of t he potential degradation mechanisms, and (f) to provide an outline of studi es using ECWs for improving the durability of ECW materials and predicting a service lifetime for ECWs using the SLP methodology outlined in objective (d). Our major conclusions are that substantial R&D is necessary to unders tand the factors that limit ECW durability, and that it is possible to pred ict the service lifetime of ECWs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.