Crown Electrokinetics Corp. has finalized an agreement with Hudson Pacific Properties to install energy-saving Smart Window Inserts at several office properties across its West Coast portfolio. The inserts, which are solar-powered and can be retrofitted to existing window frames, will provide additional insulation and allow Hudson Pacific tenants to transition their windows from clear to dark in seconds.

This emerging property technology, or proptech, has the potential to cut energy consumption and carbon emissions from heating and cooling systems by 26%, according to Crown's initial field testing. Hudson Pacific has been widely recognized for its industry leadership in sustainability. The company was one of the first major real estate organizations to achieve 100% carbon neutrality across all operations and accomplished the milestone in 2020, five years ahead of its goal.

Hudson Pacific also earned top honors in the 2021 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark Real Estate Assessment for its ESG accomplishments. In addition to achieving Green Star and highest 5-Star ratings for the third consecutive year, Hudson Pacific was recognized as an Office Sector Leader for the Americas, ranking first among the 22 companies in this category in the Development Benchmark. Improving the energy efficiency of windows – especially those in existing buildings – is critical in the fight against climate change.

More than a third of energy-related carbon emissions have been attributed to the building sector and windows are major carbon culprits. They are "the weakest link" in a building's thermal envelope, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Roughly 30% of the energy used for heating and cooling commercial buildings is wasted because of heat transfer through windows.

Using Crown's Smart Window Inserts, property owners and tenants have much greater control over how much heat and light is transferred through their windows. This increases tenant comfort and reduces the amount of energy needed for cooling in summer and heating in winter, lowering utility costs and emissions at the same time. Unlike other smart-glass products, Crown's technology can also be added to existing windows, which is faster and cheaper than large-scale window replacement projects.