Garden room at a villa
Thermal-break frames and solar-control glass
Smart glass
Two quite different technologies are sold under one name, and they are not interchangeable. A PDLC panel is laminated glass with liquid-crystal droplets suspended in the film between the plies: unpowered, the droplets sit at random and scatter light, so the pane is a milky white screen; power it and they line up and the glass goes clear in an instant. An electrochromic panel is coated glass in which a low voltage moves ions between layers, so the tint deepens over several minutes and then holds without further power. One is a privacy switch. The other is a shade. Working out which you actually want is most of the conversation.
- PDLC clear or milky, at once
- electrochromic a tint that holds itself
- wired cable inside the frame
What separates the two
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Scatters light
PDLC
Hides the view, not the sun
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Darkens
Electrochromic
Works on glare and solar heat
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Instant or minutes
Switching
One flicks, the other fades
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Held or momentary
Power draw
PDLC needs it to stay clear
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Laminated
Build
Heavier, thicker, never cut on site
Let's calculate
the cost of glazing
Get a free calculation for your windows — just leave your number, we'll reply on WhatsApp within 15 minutes.
Why choose aluminium windows?
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Durable EPDM seals
Three contours of EPDM seals keep the glass off the aluminium and close the gap between sash and frame, so dust, humid salt air and wind-driven rain stay outside.
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Foamed thermal inserts
Foamed inserts fill the profile chambers and stop air circulating inside them, so less outside heat and street noise passes through the frame into the cooled room.
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Polyamide thermal breaks
Glass-filled polyamide thermal breaks up to 40 mm wide keep the outer and inner shells apart, so the frame holds its shape and its insulation through a UAE summer.
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Energy-efficient double glazing
Double glazing up to 60 mm thick puts a sealed gap of still air or gas between the hot street and the cooled room, so less heat crosses the glass into the room.
Learn more
What a switchable panel needs from the design
- The job named first: privacy or shading They are genuinely different products
- Low-voltage supply routed to the frame Before the reveal is closed up
- Driver or transformer given a home Accessible, ventilated, out of sight
- Wired edge covered by the glazing rebate The connection must not be visible
- Switch, sensor or bus tie-in agreed With your integrator, not after him
- Panel sizes fixed at order A switchable pane cannot be trimmed
Profile Systems
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Schuco
Learn more about SchucoSchüco aluminium systems carry large panes on slim frames — for villas, apartments and offices where the view matters.
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GUTMANN
Learn more about GUTMANNGUTMANN systems are offered by Gutmann Middle East LLC, based in Dubai Investments Park: hinged windows and doors, sliding and lift-and-slide doors, curtain walls and glass railings
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Deceuninck
Learn more about DeceuninckDeceuninck uPVC profiles are designed in Belgium for superior insulation, weather resistance and a sleek finish. A popular choice for energy-efficient homes across Europe
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Cortizo
Learn more about CortizoCortizo aluminium systems combine precise Spanish engineering with high thermal and acoustic performance. A reliable choice for windows, doors and facades that need to perform in demanding climates
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Montana 120
Learn more about Montana 120Montana 120 is a thermal-break sliding series from Gulfex (Gulf Extrusion LLC), with the profile extruded here in Dubai. A straightforward choice for sliding windows and balcony doors of ordinary size
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TB-600
Learn more about TB-600TB-600 is the thermal-break hinged window and door series of Gulfex (Gulf Extrusion LLC). The profile is extruded in Dubai, and the same maker covers sliding, folding and curtain-wall systems
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ALUK
Learn more about ALUKALUK is an Italian aluminium systems brand known for slim, minimalist frames that maximise glass area without compromising strength. Perfect for architectural projects that call for a light, contemporary look
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Vetromax
Learn more about VetromaxVetromax combines advanced glazing technology with aluminium framing for maximum light, strength and energy efficiency. A modern solution for panoramic windows and glass facades
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REHAU
Learn more about REHAUREHAU uPVC systems are engineered in Germany for outstanding thermal insulation, soundproofing and long-term durability. A proven choice for energy-efficient windows and doors worldwide
Popular ready-made solutions
- Villa glazing
- Classic windows
- French windows
- Tilt-and-turn windows
- Top-hung windows
- Patio door
- Classic door
- Panoramic sliding doors
- Panoramic folding accordion doors
Two-storey villa glazing
Sliding doors to the terrace, windows above
Panoramic villa glazing
Slim frames, glass from floor to ceiling
The honest downside
The catch with smart glass
A PDLC panel is never quite as clear as ordinary glass. Switched on, it keeps a slight haze that shows most when you look through at an angle or towards a low sun, so the view is softened even in its clear state. An electrochromic pane changes over minutes, not at a touch, and it will not black out a bedroom.
It is also an electrical product built into glass. A panel that fails, or one cracked by a knock, is replaced whole and made to order at a fixed size, and the driver and wiring become one more thing in the house that depends on a working supply.
For a window within reach where the aim is privacy or glare control, a blind sealed inside the glazing unit does much the same job for far less. Smart glass remains worth it for bathroom screens, partitions that must switch between open and private, and sunlit rooflights out of reach.
Consider instead
Integrated blinds
Frequently asked questions
Only one of the two does. An electrochromic pane darkens because the coating takes in more light, so in its tinted state less solar energy reaches the room and the glare drops with it — that is genuine shading, and it is why it goes on rooflights and sunlit glass walls. A PDLC pane does nothing of the kind: milky or clear, it passes the sun much the same and only scatters the image so nobody can see through. If somebody offers you switchable film as a cooling measure, that is the moment to ask which technology is in the sandwich.
It depends which one you bought, and it is worth thinking about before you buy. PDLC holds its clear state only while it is energised, so a power cut turns the panel milky — perfectly fine for a bathroom screen, awkward for a partition you wanted to see through. Electrochromic draws power only while it is changing state, so whatever tint it was in when the supply failed is the tint it stays in. Neither fails dangerously, but which state a panel defaults to after an outage is a real design decision in a villa.
The glass can be replaced; the wiring is the hard part. A switchable panel is a laminated unit with electrical connections along one edge, and those need a cable arriving at the frame and a driver somewhere sensible — which in a finished villa means a surface run or chasing back into stone. Where a room is being renovated anyway it is entirely doable, and we will say honestly what the cable route is going to look like. Where nothing else is being opened up, it is usually the moment to consider a switchable partition in a new opening instead.
Three places, in our experience. Bathroom and ensuite screens, where a milky PDLC panel replaces a blind that would otherwise live in permanent steam. Majlis or study partitions that should be open most of the time and private on demand. And sun-facing rooflights or high glazing where a blind would be impossible to reach and impossible to clean — that is electrochromic territory. For an ordinary window at arm's length, a blind, or a blind sealed inside the glazing unit, does the same job for very much less.
Related pages
Nearby pages and the rest of the catalogue.
- Child safety
- Colours and finishes
- Concealed hinges
- Handles and hardware
- Insect screens
- Integrated blinds
- Window automation
- Window tinting for buildings, not cars
Sections
Company
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Main Office
Dubai — Showroom
The Pinnacle Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Office 607
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Dubai — Showroom
The Pinnacle Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Office 607
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