Many older office blocks are having to be adapted to cope with the requirement of modern technology. A common problem which has to be solved was experienced at this 30-year old administration centre in Bexleyheath, Kent, where glare from the sun dazzled staff working at computers. In addition, solar heat – together with heat generated from electronic equipment – had resulted in the air conditioning functioning inefficiently.
To overcome the problem, a reflective silver solar control film was installed on the external face of the glazing on the south-facing elevation. It reduces glare by 82% and rejects approximately 80% of solar heat through a combination of reflecting and absorbing the sun’s rays.
As a result, the air-conditioning is now more efficient and the level of solar glare is no longer a worry.
Installing the film on the exterior of the double-glazed units makes certain that solar heat is sent back into the atmosphere before it reached the glass. This ensure that the glass does not experience the nigh levels of heat intrusion that could occur if the film were fixed on the inside, and therefore virtually eliminates the possibility of the glass in the sealed double-glazing units cracking from thermal stress. External application of the film – carried out from cradles – does not involve the installer’s entering the building and therefore causes no disruption to the running of the office while the film is being fitted.