An electrochromic (EC) vacuum glazing (VG) is formed when a vacuum glazing is combined with an electrochromic glazing. Three glass panes are required, two of which may have a low-emittance coating separated by a pillar array, the space formed being evacuated and sealed contiguously by a metal edge seal, the third glass pane with an EC layer is sealed to the evacuated glass unit. With the EC glazing installed with the electrochromic component facing the outdoor environment, for an incident solar radiation of 300 W m(-2), when the EC layer is opaque for winter conditions, the inside glass pane of the unit due to solar radiation absorbed by the low-emittance coatings within the vacuum gap and electrochromic layer is a heat source with heat transferred from the glazing to the interior enviromnent. Crown Copyright (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.