Pilkington has developed a glass for windows that effectively cleans itself of organic dirt. Called Pilkington Activ, the glass is coated with a very thin layer of titanium dioxide. The UV rays in sunlight react with the titanium dioxide coating to produce a photocatalytic reaction. This reaction breaks down any organic compounds adhering to the surface. These residues are then washed away by rain water.
This is a good idea and a great labor-saving invention. Costs range about 15-20% more than conventional glass.
An interesting side benefit is that titanium dioxide films are also effective at breaking down ozone and formaldehyde, and so these coated windows have a positive (albeit small) environmental impact by reducing ground level pollutants.
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