In the future, tiny nanoantennas applied to the glass surface are expected to prevent the loss of heat through windows. A research team from Sweden, China, Iran and the United States developed this concept, which should make it possible to raise the temperature of the glass by up to 10 °C. Although the concept is not yet ready for series production, scientists expect significant energy savings, especially in buildings with large windows – as is often the case in modern architecture. Comparable heatable window technologies usually work with a conductive glass coating and thus require the input of energy.

The Swedish concept , on the other hand, is based on nano antennas made of several layers of nickel and aluminum oxide, which can be attached to glass surfaces and other materials in various arrangements. Because electrons oscillate on the surface of these special structures, the antennas can absorb a lot of light without noticeably darkening the interior. The absorbed light can be felt as heat on the glass surface – and the window then no longer transports any energy from the heated rooms to the outside.