DRIVING DOWN HEAT AND GLARE

Glare is a potential issue all year round, and The Window Film Company was brought in by a Hampshire based car dealership to alleviate their ongoing situation.

The dealership is one of the largest in the area, with sizeable premises that boast large panels of glazing throughout. The windows deliver a sleek external appearance as well as creating an internal environment that benefits from an uninterrupted view and a wealth of natural light. There was a problem however. The second floor of the property housed a number of meeting rooms and other office functions and the size of the glass panels meant that both glare and heat were causing issues for those inside.

Glare can make it difficult to comfortably focus on screens or colleagues and can lead to eye strain. The low lying position of the sun during the winter months can make it just as much of a problem as during the height of summer. The large windows also resulted in a steady build-up of heat; the sun’s solar energy passing through the glazing unchecked, steadily raising the internal temperature. Combined, these two issues were creating uncomfortable internal conditions for staff and visitors. Window film was identified as the solution.

By applying specialist window film, it is possible to cut down on both heat and glare whilst maintaining the stylish external appearance, protecting the view from the inside and without sacrificing natural light. The film filters out the harshest elements of the sunlight, reducing glare without making it feel dark, whilst solar energy is reflected away before it can enter the property, helping to ensure a moderate internal temperature.

The film chosen for the project was High Reflective Silver, a high performance product that delivers glare reduction of up to 81% and solar energy reduction of up to 77%. The reflective appearance of the film gives a stylish and contemporary external appearance whilst maintaining the view from the inside.

The project necessitated the installation of film to 93 large windows, with each window over 2.2 square metres in size. The windows were all at first floor level and therefore required a 6 metre scaffold tower for access. It was also important that the area below the windows was clear during the installation, with these logistical issues handled by The Window Film Company’s dedicated operations team. Their role was to liaise with the dealership, to agree appropriate dates for what was a four day installation, organise access requirements and to plan the project in conjunction with the client – agreeing which area of the dealership would be dealt with on which day, and preparing that section of the premises accordingly.

The work was carried out by one of The Window Film Company’s fully trained and qualified installation teams, whose experience and attention to detail allowed them to deliver a first class job, within the timeframe and with the minimum of disruption to what is a very busy dealership. The results were effective immediately, with the first floor meeting rooms and spaces benefitting from greatly reduced glare and a more comfortable all round environment.

For more information on how The Window Film Company can help with your heat and glare issues, please contact a member of the team on 01494 794477 or email info@windowfilm.co.uk.