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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 (IWFA) 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 percent 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 IWFA. “Professionally installed window film is an investment that provides many benefits for years to come.”
Window film provides, on average, up to 55 percent 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- and budget-friendly 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 about 5 to 10 percent of the facility’s total energy bill.
