NVC Alumni Next Energy Technologies Focuses on Energy-Saving Windows

Buildings and windows are about to have a bigger hand in energy conservation.

That’s the goal of one Goleta startup called Next Energy Technologies, which aims to channel solar power via specially-made windows as a renewable energy source.

On average, Next Energy Technologies windows would produce 20 percent of a commercial building’s power needs, according to the company’s modeling so far.

The business, which formed after winning UC Santa Barbara’s Technology Management Program New Venture Competition in 2010, is finally moving from the research phase to commercialization — a goal its founders hope to achieve in 2018.

“They’re smart buildings,” said CEO and cofounder Daniel Emmett. “Windows are going from being a passive part of buildings to active. It’s an exciting time for buildings.”

Most commercial buildings could earn their investment back within one year of installation, he said, noting a focus on commercial, not residential.

Next Energy Technologies is raising its series B round of funding, already halfway to its $7 million goal with help from local investors and family offices, Emmett said.

The Goleta company located near the corner of Hollister and Patterson avenues uses photovoltaic materials — those that convert sun energy into direct electricity — encapsulated in a window, which eliminates the installation and mounting costs associated with solar panels, said Danny Seigle, vice president of business development.

By Gina Potthoff, Staff Writer, Noozhawk