Perth-based ClearVue Technologies said the study will involve the installation and testing of five of the company’s integrated glass units (IGU), encompassing about 13.2 square metres of glazing at the Hong Kong government’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) headquarters in Kowloon.

ClearVue’s solar glazing technology solution features PV cells around the edges of each IGU. The units incorporate a nanoparticle interlayer and spectral-selective coating on the rear external surface which allow much of the light to pass through but redirects infrared and UV light to the edge of the IGU where it is harvested by solar cells.

The 12-month study will assess the optical properties, energy harvesting and energy efficiency of ClearVue’s solar glass technology that aims to preserve glass transparency to maintain building aesthetics whilst generating renewable power on site, improving building energy efficiency and ultimately helping to reduce overall carbon emissions of the built environment.

ClearVue Executive Chairman Victor Rosenberg said the properties of the company’s technology will be compared against existing conventional glazing and the data used to determine the suitability and value of the technology for potential use in other Hong Kong government buildings.

“The selection of the ClearVue product by the EMSD for completing this study is testament to how the ClearVue product is now being seen globally – that is, as one of only a few commercially available glazing products that, in addition to offering power generation on site, genuinely offers a compelling energy efficiency solution for advanced building envelope design,” he said.

The initiative marks the first sale of the company’s technology into the Hong Kong market and while the agreement provides no guarantee of future sales, ClearVue is confident that the findings of the study will generate sales.

ClearVue said EMSD endorsement is a prerequisite for government engagement in Hong Kong.

The announcement of the Hong Kong study is the latest of ClearVue’s moves in the Southeast Asia market. It comes after the company last month signed a letter of intent with Cambodia’s AZ Group and its subsidiary MyWindows that sets the framework for a distribution arrangement for Cambodia and Laos.

The intent is for the parties to enter into a supply and purchase agreement, with ClearVue to initially supply AZ Group with the company’s glazing products to explore project opportunities in Cambodia, Laos and nearby markets.

ClearVue said if the arrangement is successful, the two companies will work towards a joint venture or full manufacturing and distribution licence.