What are 'low-emissivity' low-E coatings for windows?

What are 'low-emissivity' low-E coatings for windows?

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Low-E coatings are a thin coating of metal oxide that's applied to the inside or outside of the window. What that does is reflect solar energy. In areas where you want to keep heat in, you would put those coatings on the inside of the window to prevent heat from escaping the house, and in areas where it's hot, where you want to keep heat on the outside of the home, that would be on the outside of the window and reflect the solar energy, and keep it outside the house. They are normally applied on newer windows in a retro-fit situation, but they can be applied to existing windows as a coating or film that is put on the outside of the window.