U-M spin-off SITUMBRA looks to build a better window

Imagine a window shade that's actually integrated into the window, eliminating the ugly shades that cover windows in otherwise beautiful buildings. The vision is becoming reality in Ann Arbor courtesy of SITUMBRA.

The University of Michigan spin-off is developing the technology that came from research conducted by Harry Giles, an architecture professor at U-M.

The window has two skins that sandwich an inner core. This passive solar technology allows the light to come in and warm a house during cold weather and reflects it when it's hot.

"It's transparent and energy efficient," Giles says. His research came from an EPA grant about three years ago. The concept won a prestigious EPA award.

SITUMBRA (the SIT stands for Structural Integrated Transparency and the UMBRA is a reference to umbrella) plans to continue to develop the technology for the next year. It then expects to raise money so it can begin production within the next couple of years.

Giles is working with a number of experts in the field at the university and in the private sector. He declined to name how many people work at SITUMBRA

Source: Harry Giles, founder of SITUMBRA
Writer: Jon Zemke

U-M spin-off SITUMBRA looks to build a better window

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