While windows on a building provide views to the outside and can reduce the need for artificial lighting, it increases the need for cooling as the inside heats up from the daylight. Commercial window film is an effective solution for improving energy efficiency and reducing solar heat gain. The film, which is placed on the inside of a window, is designed to reflect and absorb heat. A film-treated window maintains a cool and comfortable temperature throughout the entirety of a building, in addition to minimizing the need to be cooled. For buildings that face north and south, they typically need additional cooling, while solar heat is also an issue for buildings located in colder climates. Because of how it improves energy efficiency, the use of window films are encouraged as recognized as being an energy-efficient retrofit.
Commercial window film blocks solar radiation to reduce heat gain that is produced by near-infrared radiation, visible light, and Ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet makes up for 3 percent of the solar spectrum as near-infrared radiation is placed at 53 percent and visible light is at 44 percent. Some of the sun’s energy is absorbed by a window when its rays come in contact with the glass; While some of the energy is reflected off the glass, most of the energy is transmitted off as heat inside the building. A typical window reflects 6 percent of solar radiation from the sun while it absorbs 5 of that 6 percent, transmitting the rest. When that heat combines with the building’s ambient heat that’s already present (given off by people, electronics, carpeting, furniture, etc), it can make the environment uncomfortably hot, especially for people positioned closer to windows. Visible light also contributes to heat gain by being transmitted through glass and absorbed by carpeting and furniture.
A building can benefit from having commercial window film applied to their windows because the amount of solar energy that’s both absorbed and reflected is increased. A window film can be created of stainless steel, a thin metallic coating, silver, aluminum, or a combination of these which all work to absorb and reflect solar radiation. For the energy that’s absorbed, instead of getting directed into the building, it’s reradiated outward. The heat that gets rejected from a window film can reach levels as high of 80 percent, including heat that’s absorbed and reflected from solar energy. When there’s a reduction of solar heat, there’s a reduction in kwh that’s needed for adequate cooling. In addition to reducing kwh, it can reduce demand charge as well as making tenants inside the building more cool and comfortable. There are additional benefits of window films as well; They almost completely block harmful UV rays from the sun (which also prevents furniture fading), having the ability to block from 95 to 99 percent of destructive UV rays.
Commercial Window Film Benefits
Just like insulation for your building, solar control window film offers thermal insulation for your windows. Control how much light and heat enters your building and reduce utility costs.
Increase comfort without paying for tinted glass for your building. Solar control window film is a fraction of the cost of tinted glass and offers many benefits including increased employee comfort and productivity.
Solar control window film helps block dangerous UV rays from entering your building. Help protect your interior furnishings fading and your occupants from skin cancer.
Window films can help eliminate hot and cold spots within a space through the strategic use of film that reduces heat gain coming through the glass in hot areas. This will create a more balanced temperature across the space and reduce the load on the HVAC system.
Security window films will help control and lessen the danger and damage caused by broken glass in new construction and retrofit projects.
Solar window films offers one of the fastest payback periods of popular energy-savings upgrades such as lighting, window and HVAC replacement. Typical ROI is often 3 years or less.
While damaged or deteriorating windows simply have to be replaced, home window tinting provides an affordable alternative to replacement when your goal is to improve energy efficiency. In fact, the cost for quick, professional installation is about one-tenth the cost of replacement windows!
Contact Energy Control of Iowa today at (319) 423-9663 to learn more about the commercial window tinting films that we offer. We would be happy to arrange an absolutely free, no obligation consultation and estimate on implementing window film into your commercial space.