So, I was just reading a Fast CoDesign article about a new product that is essentially a moving mirror that tracks the sun to redirect the light to dark places in a room.  This seems brilliant (haha pun intended).  This made me think that instead of needing this thing in the room wouldn’t it be better if you could coat your window with a substrate that had reflective qualities that would better illuminate or darken your room.  This brings up an interesting point.  I’ve seen in movies and tv shows were the windows are able to go from transparent to opaque.  I have not seen any window amplify or focus light on command or at all besides with a magnifying glass…  So, that would be an interesting optics problem.  I do realize that windows already diffuse daylight by having a coating on them.

I was then considering the fact that the placement of windows for optimal sunlight distribution and heating and cooling effects throughout the house is a challenging optimization and architectural problem.  Basically the idea is that neither solution above would be necessary if the placement and style of window and house were created with that problem in mind.  The style and location of a house/building has a profound impact on the quality and quantity of light that enters the house and is useful.

I must remember this when looking for a house and also possibly if I ever build a house.