ASX-listed ClearVue Technologies is jumping on the growing micro-home bandwagon with the signing of a collaboration agreement with Swedish developer, Attefallshus AB.
Under the agreement, Attefallshus will integrate ClearVue’s proprietary solar glass window technology into its micro-homes and other construction projects where appropriate, exclusively in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
ClearVue’s transparent, energy-generating window glass technology redirects the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and infrared light to the edge of the panel where photovoltaic, or “PV”, cells convert the energy into electricity whilst allowing 70% of the visible light to pass through.
Attefallshus is currently in the final stages of a directional change to coincide with proposed legislative changes in Sweden that will allow the size of micro-homes that do not need normal planning permissions to be increased from 25 square metres to 30 square metres.
As part of this change, Attefallshus will release new micro-home module designs that will include ClearVue’s solar glass panels as an optional upgrade.
ClearVue Executive Chairman Victor Rosenberg said: “We are very much looking forward to collaborating with the Attefallshus team to deploy the ClearVue products into Attefallshus’ micro-home projects in Scandinavia (and elsewhere) and to demonstrating how the ClearVue PV product when integrated with locally powered smart façade solutions makes sense.”
“Working with Attefallshus will also be our first foray into the Scandinavian market, and so we are very much looking forward to the exploration of this new market.”
Attefallshus Chief Executive Officer Niklas Madden said: “Micro homes … have limited space for traditional roof-based solar PV especially as many microhome designs will often incorporate a rooftop terrace including many of our own designs – surface real estate for PV being at an absolute premium.”
“However, of particular interest to us is the ability to locally power features integrated into and at the windows – this potentially means reduced installation time and costs for our projects.”
“By deploying self-powered glass modules that include automated blinds, electrochromic switchable glass, cameras, security systems, smart home systems etcetera, all at the window minimises the need for later fit-out and inclusion of these features that are more frequently being specified for this style of development.”
“The ClearVue product is also ideally suited to the micro-home application because the ClearVue product design is typically triple or double glazed - which is the expectation for Scandinavia and the Northern European market.”
The micro-home movement has enjoyed growing popularity in America and other developed countries and has even been the subject of reality TV programs.
The sector is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of almost 7% during the period between 2018 and 2022, according to market analysts, ResearchAndMarkets.com.
