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Summer blockbuster

Mention window flm to people of a certain age – especially those who have lived overseas – and they might well decry the poor adhesive quality, discoloration, overly dark interiors, a counter-productive build-up of heat and potentially even damage to windows and frames.

Peter Staelens, EMEA regional manager of window flm manufacturer Solar Gard concedes that there may have been problems in the past, but points out that the quality of today’s products and the expertise of Solar Gard’s network of specialist installers have transformed people’s experiences of window flm.

“Quality has improved from the days when you had refections and discolouration. Discolouration is less and less of a problem but everything changes when exposed to the sun. We give warranties of up to 16 years for some products. Most products will outlive the window because facades are re-done and buildings change function,” he said.

Which is just as well, because today there are many more reasons for installing window flm. Greater awareness of skin cancer, rising energy prices, the threat of terrorism and the need to reduce carbon emissions all help make the case for flm.

Tangible benefts

According to Staelens, there are three main areas where window flm can provide tangible benefts:

1. Safety; Solar Gard’s range includes highly elastic safety flm that when applied to the inside of a window will keep broken glass in place even in the event of a bomb explosion. This is of beneft not only to obvious terrorist targets, but any organisation that has a duty of care. “Even away from a bomb blast, there are schools and public buildings with glass, where there’s the risk of broken glass and the need to protect people,” Staelens said.

2. UV Protection: Window flm stops ultra-violet light from entering a building, especially UVA, which, unlike UVB, isn’t stopped by glass. “This,” explained Staelens,

Why window flm is a big hit with businesses during the summer months

“is important in homes, offces, museums and retail shops because UV is 40-50% of what causes fading and changes in colour.We stop that and a big proportion of infra-red, which is reduced by 50%.”

3. Energy: Films can lower solar gain in buildings, thus reducing the need for cooling in offces that have air conditioning and creating a more comfortable working environment in ones that don’t. “You can save 30% on cooling,” said Staelens. “If you look at the energy consumption of buildings, you could save up to 5% of total energy consumption.”

Film vs Glazing

New types of glass provide some of these benefts. So is there an advantage in using flm rather than glazing, either in a new build or as a retro-ft? “Glazing can solve a lot but it can’t solve everything,” explained Staelens. “Glass with shades or flm could be the most cost-effcient solution. The level of protection flm can offer can’t be matched by glazing: it’s about cost-effciency – pounds and dollars – and the environmental costs.”

He estimates that a square metre flm installation costs £40-£90 and that the fnancial payback in reduced energy costs could be as little as four to fve years. The environmental payback, Staelens suggests, could be even sooner.

“We have developed tools to help decision-makers assess the investment, including a new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). In purely environmental terms, payback – the energy saved versus the energy used to make and distribute the product – is about one year, at which point the flm

eutral. of CO2 to make window flm but 2-3 kilos of CO2 to make a window, so it’s better to put flm on than buy new windows. And window flm is simple. You can install it without any disruption, but if you want to put new windows in you may have to close your offce or restaurant,” he said. The next time employees or customers complain about the heat, forget your prejudices and pick up the phone to the nearest window flm provider. Doing so could bring more benefts than you think.

www.solargard.co.uk

Touchdown PR, which represents Solar Gard in the UK, applied Sterling 40 Solar Film to the windows of its Farnham offces when employees complained of headaches and dizziness caused by glare from their Mac monitors. As well as solving this problem, the retro-ft has created a more comfortable working environment, especially in the summer months.

Frasers Menswear retro-ftted a clear, UV-blocking flm to its shop windows to prevent clothing used in window displays from fading and to create a cooler shop interior for customers. The flm also satisfed Frasers’ insurers which had been urging the retailer to replace its two large window panes with laminated glass.

Quality has improved from the days when you had refections and discolouration.

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