Heating and cooling large buildings and corporate offices is often a significant drain on the structure’s system. With many utility companies offering incentive programs that encourage customers to save energy, one way to accomplish that goal that may be overlooked is the use of window film. The immediate and long lasting benefits of professionally installed window film include reduced cooling and energy costs, improved comfort for occupants, a lower carbon footprint, and eliminating the need for expensive window upgrades, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA).
Throughout the U.S., 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 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, according to the IWFA.
