Fenestration: Window Film
Save Money & Protect Your Clients
by the International Window Film Association
The heating and cooling of large buildings and corporate offices are often a significant drain on the structure’s system. With many utility companies offering incentive programs that encourage customers to save energy, one means that may be overlooked is the use of window film. The International Window Film Association® is encouraging the corporate sector to be aware of the immediate and long-lasting benefits of professionally installed window film, including reduced cooling and energy costs, improved comfort for occupants, a lower carbon footprint, and eliminating the need for expensive window upgrades.
Throughout the United States, case studies indicate the effectiveness of window film in reducing costs and promoting energy efficiency for building owners and managers. A single Midwest-based location of a national pharmacy store chain reduced the need for electrical lighting by up to 52% by filtering UV rays and redirecting natural light with a window film application. A notable pop-culture museum has achieved an annual average cost savings of $30,000 in reduced cooling costs from applying a solar controlling window film with ceramic or nano-technology.
“With technology improvements, window film products have become one of the easiest to implement and most cost-effective energy efficiency measures available for commercial retrofitting,” said Darrell Smith, executive director of the International Window Film Association. “Professionally installed window film is an investment that provides many benefits for years to come.”
Window film provides, on average, up to 55% rejection of solar heat, reducing the number of hot and cold spots in a home or building while providing a more energy-efficient environment. Some films can even help to retain room heat in the winter months. By offering seven times the energy savings benefits per dollar spent in a facility when compared with full window replacement, window film is an eco-friendly and cost-efficient option while still making the needed improvement.
Window film products are rated by the National Fenestration Rating Council for energy performance. By reducing solar heat gain in the summer and retaining a building’s heat in the winter, once installed, window film may offer year-round savings of up to 10% of the facility’s total energy bill.
Among other benefits, professionally installed window film helps avoid interior temperature swings and keeps your building occupants more comfortable. Window film may help retain heat in the colder months, and in warmer months it allows in less than 25% of solar energy versus 90% without film, keeping the temperature further regulated. With more even temperatures, there are bound to be less office thermostat battles.
The view to the outside doesn’t have to be compromised either. There is little or no visible change to the look of the windows, since window film is available in a variety of shades, from virtually clear, to medium, or dark. In addition, since the product is always in place, there is no operator involvement needed to enjoy its benefits. Furthermore, professionally installed window film can ameliorate glare while still providing adequate light. By reducing excessive sunlight, window film can offer a more productive workspace so the people working in your office can stay focused on the tasks at hand.
While sunlight streaming in an office window is beautiful, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70, and each year over 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer are treated in the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. In addition, repeated exposure to excessive UV light can cause eye issues, including blurry vision and cataracts. However, prevention is possible and a useful strategy for a workplace is a professional installation of window film. Once installed, window film blocks 99% of UV rays, helping reduce the risk of skin cancer and eye damage.
Instead of a full window replacement, which is costly and produces more landfill waste, professionally installed window film allows occupants to enjoy the space with high UV protection, while building operators benefit from avoiding costly window replacements while reaping significant energy savings. A professional installation of window film is a wise move that will bring back a measurable return on the investment. Federal, state, or local incentive programs may be also available for window film installations.
The International Window Film Association is a unified industry body of window film dealers, distributors, and manufacturers that facilitates the growth of the window film industry through the use of education, research, advocacy, and consumer awareness. The organization builds alliances with trade associations, utilities, and government agencies to advance dealers’ and distributors’ businesses and provide value to their customers.
