You may have heard of window film, but do you know how much it can help at your commercial building? These innovative films retrofit to existing windows, which avoids the cost and disruption of replacing inefficient windows.
Adding window film to your commercial facility will give you energy and cost savings that can have a real impact. Let’s talk specifically about how they work and what they can do for you.
This results in a number of significant benefits:
How Solar Control Window Films Conserve Energy
You might be imagining that window films reduce heat simply by tinting the window a dark color and blocking light, but that’s not the only way a window film can work. Modern solar control window films actually decrease a building’s heat gain through various technologies embedded in the film that absorb or deflect solar radiation. And they can even do this without noticeably darkening the glass. When solar radiation hits untreated windows, some is reflected off, but most penetrates through the window and enters the internal spaces. Window films act to reflect or absorb a significant portion of that radiation at the glass surface, keeping it out of your space and maintaining a more temperature-controlled interior.This results in a number of significant benefits:
- Better Energy Efficiency – Windows tend to be a problem area when looking to save energy. A recent article in the MIT News by Mary Beth Gallagher stated, “In the quest to make buildings more energy efficient, windows present a particularly difficult problem. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat that either escapes or enters windows accounts for roughly 30 percent of the energy used to heat and cool buildings. Researchers are developing a variety of window technologies that could prevent this massive loss of energy.“ Solar control window films retrofitted to existing glass are one of these technologies that can help.
- Easy Upgrade to Existing Windows – If you’ve ever looked at having your windows replaced, you probably got a headache just looking at the cost estimates. In addition, this process can be very disruptive to an office or commercial space. Adding film to existing windows can give the energy savings new windows without the cost and expense of having them replaced.
- Less Waste – If you replaced all those windows, not only would it be expensive, but you’d also be putting all that wood, metal, and glass into a landfill. Window film can add many years to the life of existing windows, reducing your cost and the total landfill impact of the waste that replacements would produce.
- Potential Rebates and Tax Credits – Because many state governments recognize the benefits of window films, you may be eligible for a rebate or tax credit if you install a film on your facility. You’ll want to check the regulations at the state and local level to see if there are any rebates available. We are not accountants, so please check with your tax professional about any potential benefits on that front.