5 Things Window Film Can Do For Your Building

5 Things Window Film Can Do For Your Building

Large banks of windows are a popular building amenity, but the extra daylight can seem like a double-edged sword on sunny days.

Plentiful daylight is generally healthy for occupants and can contribute to productivity, but can also result in distracting glare and an influx of heat that’s expensive to manage.

Retrofitting your existing windows with window film can help you achieve your energy, aesthetic and productivity goals at a fraction of the cost of a window replacement, according to Darrell Smith, executive director of the International Window Film Association.

Investigate these five ways window film could benefit your building.

1) Less Glare and Lower Bills

Some window films can block different parts of the solar spectrum to minimize glare, heat and dangerous UV rays, Smith explains.

Sunlight contains three parts:

• Ultraviolet radiation – the part that contributes to skin cancer and fades interiors. This section makes up about 3 percent of the sunlight spectrum, according to Smith.

• Visible light – literally, the part that you see. This section is about 44 percent of the total and is responsible for causing glare.

• Near infrared light – which is invisible but contributes to heat gain. This makes up the other 53 percent of the spectrum.

Understanding the difference between these qualities is key to selecting the right window film if solar control is a priority, Smith explains.

“Products today will block 65 percent of the heat and allow 65 percent visibility,” Smith says. “Think of the windshield of a car. They’re equipped with factory-tinted glass that looks almost clear, and by law that can’t be darker than 70 percent visibility. This window film is almost that light but would block 65 percent of the heat coming through because it has high infrared reflectance.”

Large banks of windows are a popular building amenity, but the extra daylight can seem like a double-edged sword on sunny days.

Plentiful daylight is generally healthy for occupants and can contribute to productivity, but can also result in distracting glare and an influx of heat that’s expensive to manage.

Retrofitting your existing windows with window film can help you achieve your energy, aesthetic and productivity goals at a fraction of the cost of a window replacement, according to Darrell Smith, executive director of the International Window Film Association.

Investigate these five ways window film could benefit your building.