MANAGING MANCHESTER HEAT AND GLARE

Solar control heat reduction film for two offices in Manchester

Excess heat can have a serious negative impact on premises and productivity, and with a number of additional benefits to be gained from an installation, solar control window film is the ideal solution – all year round.

The Window Film Company was contacted regarding two first floor offices, both of which benefitted from a large expanse of external facing windows. The banks of glass delivered a welcome view to the outside alongside an excellent source of natural light, but they also meant that the offices were overheating quickly, with solar energy passing unchecked through the glass, constantly adding to the internal temperature.

Traditional methods such as shutting blinds or curtains are not only less effective than window film (window film is applied directly to the surface of the glass and prevents a percentage of heat passing through the glass), but they also block both the view and natural light – two of the main benefits of having windows in the first place, so window film was decided on as the best course of action, with The Window Film Company approached for the most suitable product.

Solar control window film is available in a range of finishes, each with a different appearance and performance level, but each of the films works largely in the same way. Once applied to the glass, the external face of the film takes on a reflective appearance during daylight hours. This mirrored effect serves to bounce away a percentage of the sun’s energy, with the amount rejected dependent on the film chosen. By reflecting away the heat before it can pass through the glass and into premises, the window film prevents the steady build up of excess heat, helping to maintain a moderate and comfortable internal temperature.

After discussing the potential options with a dedicated Account Manager, the client agreed on Optiview 15. The Optiview range of solar control films have been specially developed to deliver a lower level of internal reflectivity, ensuring as neutral a view from the inside as possible during daylight and early evening.

As well as rejecting up to 75% of the sun’s solar energy, Optiview 15 delivers the added benefit of reducing glare by up to 84% and the blocking of 99% of harmful UV rays. Glare can be a year round issue, with the bright summer sun making it difficult to focus on colleagues, paperwork or screens and the lower lying position of the winter sun causing similar difficulties. UV rays are the biggest contributing factor to fading (the others being sunlight and heat) so by blocking the majority of these, the application of Optiview 15 would help to slow down the fading process.

The film was applied to 80 panes across two offices on the same first floor location, with the project carried out by a team of The Window Film Company’s fully qualified and vastly experienced fitting teams. The film was applied to the internal face of each pane, with the film effective as soon as it was in position. The end result was a sleek and stylish external appearance, with the film allowing for a view from the inside out, along with excellent levels of natural light transmission.

For more details about the range of window films supplied and installed by The Window Film Company to help combat excess heat, glare and fading, please contact a member of our expert team by calling 01494 794477 or email info@windowfilm.co.uk.