A flexible, variable-emittance, electrochromic device comprising: (a) a working electrode comprising: (i) an electrochromic conducting polymer matrix of aniline or aniline and diphenyl amine monomers deposited from an aqueous deposition solution and comprising at least one dopant comprising poly(anetholesulfonate), poly(vinyl sulfate), p-toluene sulfonate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, or a combination thereof; the conducting polymer matrix being electrochromically active in the IR light region; (ii) an electrolyte permeable substrate layer containing an ionic liquid electrolyte; and (iii) a conductive reflective layer disposed between the electrolyte permeable substrate layer and the conducting polymer matrix; and (b) the ionic liquid electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the conducting polymer matrix, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte comprises at least one of 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM-BF4), 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium trifluoroacetate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM-BF4), BMIM-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (BMIM-TF2N), 1-(4-sulfobutyl)-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, or a combination thereof; and the ionic liquid electrolyte comprises at least one counterion selected from the group consisting of trifluoroacetate, tetrafluoroborate and trifluoromethanesulfonate; wherein the electrochromic conducting polymer matrix substantially incorporates the at least one counterion of the ionic liquid electrolyte and the ionic liquid itself. (a) a working electrode comprising: (i) an electrochromic conducting polymer matrix of aniline or aniline and diphenyl amine monomers deposited from an aqueous deposition solution and comprising at least one dopant comprising poly(anetholesulfonate), poly(vinyl sulfate), p-toluene sulfonate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, or a combination thereof; the conducting polymer matrix being electrochromically active in the IR light region; (ii) an electrolyte permeable substrate layer containing an ionic liquid electrolyte; and (iii) a conductive reflective layer disposed between the electrolyte permeable substrate layer and the conducting polymer matrix; and (i) an electrochromic conducting polymer matrix of aniline or aniline and diphenyl amine monomers deposited from an aqueous deposition solution and comprising at least one dopant comprising poly(anetholesulfonate), poly(vinyl sulfate), p-toluene sulfonate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, or a combination thereof; the conducting polymer matrix being electrochromically active in the IR light region; (ii) an electrolyte permeable substrate layer containing an ionic liquid electrolyte; and (iii) a conductive reflective layer disposed between the electrolyte permeable substrate layer and the conducting polymer matrix; and (b) the ionic liquid electrolyte in electrochemical communication with the conducting polymer matrix, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte comprises at least one of 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM-BF4), 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium trifluoroacetate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM-BF4), BMIM-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (BMIM-TF2N), 1-(4-sulfobutyl)-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, or a combination thereof; and the ionic liquid electrolyte comprises at least one counterion selected from the group consisting of trifluoroacetate, tetrafluoroborate and trifluoromethanesulfonate;