Abstract: There is provided a glazing laminate comprising a polyvinyl butyral core layer having polyvinyl butyral/IR dye layers on each side. The dye containing layers are solvent cast from methanol onto the core layer. The dyes in each layer are different comprising BN 18 type PVB containing either 2 mg Epoline III-125 or 2 mg of Epolite III-57 dyes per grams of resin and dissolved in 10 ml of analytical grade of methanol for casting. The polymer is sandwiched between two glass layers under pressure and heat treatment at 135-140° C. An overall concentration of the dyes of ˜0.1 g/m2 results in an energy absorption over 65%. The heating effect of absorption is reduced by conduction through the polymer to the laminate edges, internal reflection, spherical reradiation and the relative insulative effect of the glass layers.

Abstract: An optical element comprising a plurality of transparent layers comprising one or more passive layers (11) and one or more active layers (12) wherein said passive layers (11) facilitate the transmission of electromagnetic radiation in a substantially unaltered form and the at least one active layers (12) include an active material dispersed through the active layer and having the capacity to intercept electromagnetic radiation of at least one predetermined wavelength or range of wavelengths and redirect at least a portion of energy of the intercepted radiation into the interior of the optical element, said layers being in face to face relationship and being optically coupled to each other.