Blog

Feb 26, 2025

AeroShield Materials Opens New Facility to Innovate Energy-Efficient Windows

AeroShield Materials has opened a manufacturing facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. The move follows several rounds of funding, including $14.5 million from the United States Department of Energy

AeroShield Materials has opened a manufacturing facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. The move follows several rounds of funding, including $14.5 million from the United States Department of Energy (DOE). Officials say the facility will expand the company’s capabilities with aerogel research and development labs, manufacturing equipment, assembly lines and testing equipment.

AeroShield received funding from DOE’s Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy Technologies with Untapped Potential program. The program seeks to help companies develop and market new energy-efficient products, including AeroShield’s aerogels for insulating glass units (IGUs).

Additionally, AeroShield recently received $5 million in funding from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, MassVentures and new investor MassMutual Ventures. The funding will help AeroShield scale its business and expand its team to more than 30 employees in the new 12,000-square-foot facility. The company plans to manufacture full-sized products, including double-pane windows, at the facility.

“This facility represents an inflection point in AeroShield’s journey,” says CEO Dr. Elise Strobach. “This is where we will turn our scientific breakthrough into the first certified transparent aerogel windows and begin saving residents billions in heating and cooling costs. Our pilot facility will supply window and door manufacturers as we launch our first products and also serve as our research and development headquarters as we develop the next generation of energy-efficient products using transparent aerogels.”

Officials say the company’s current research and development focuses on residential doors and windows. However, its aerogels can be applied to commercial windows, grocery store freezer doors and more. Silica aerogels feature several unique attributes, such as ultra-low density, super-insulation and heat resistance. NASA has used them for decades to insulate equipment and collect comet dust.

Despite their energy-efficient features, aerogels are typically opaque and have a blue hue, characteristics that do not mesh well with windows, curtainwalls and glass doors. AeroShield has developed a silica aerogel that has increased clarity.

According to officials, the company’s silica is more transparent than glass, two times more insulating than air and lighter than a marshmallow. It can be added as a coating to the inner glass of windows and doors to improve energy performance by up to 65%, saving money and reducing carbon emissions.