Energy Savings

Green Building: How Installing Window Film Benefits the Environment

Window film benefits the environment in a number of ways and have been recognized by USGBC for Energy & Atmosphere LEED credits.

Window Films that Conserve Energy

Solar Control window films available from Apex Window Films help Greater Toronto Area homes and businesses conserve energy and save money by controlling heat gain. While many customers choose solar film to improve comfort by balancing interior hot spots and glare, the films reduce the need for air conditioning. Some Apex clients have found an improvement of more than 20°F in sunny rooms.

While individual results will vary depending upon the specific installation, window films are a proven energy saver and a great way to protect our environment.

According to SolarGard Window Films, research documents that solar control window films offer Energy savings of up to 30%:

By rejecting up to "79% of solar energy, window film keeps a room cooler and more comfortable. In commercial buildings, window film reduces the HVAC load and can significantly reduce the need to run cooling systems which are often used to control uncomfortable heat pockets. Window film eliminates heat pockets, so rooms stay a consistent, cooler temperature."
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According to SolarGard, "Only a few degrees in temperature reduction can have up to a 25% reduction in cooling costs, due to the laws of thermodynamics. It requires considerable amounts of energy to remove heat from a room through air conditioning. During peak summer times in the middle of the day, loads on air conditioning systems can be reduced enough to turn off entire units or to install a less costly system."

REUSE: Window Films are a Retrofit

REUSE - it is a fundamental precept of conservation. RENOVATE and RETROFIT are fundamental green building practices; wherever possible attempts should be made to reuse elements of existing structures in order to eliminate unnecessary waste caused by a re-build.

Window film is a retrofit. Window film allows you to improve your existing glass, eliminating the waste of replacing old windows to achieve your desired objective; whether you want to improve comfort, privacy, safety or security, Apex window films can be applied to almost all existing glass features.

Many businesses are turning to window film over glass etching because it saves money while achieving virtually identical results.

But another great benefit is that the film can eventually be removed. This means that should the business move to another location the glass will not need to be removed (and become waste). The next occupant can remove the film and the simple clear glass will be restored.
While installed for permanence with high quality adhesives, all Apex window films can be removed should the need arise*. Removing window film rather than replacing glass means less waste in our overburdened landfills.

For more information on Canadian green building practices, visit the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) website at: www.cagbc.org

Environmental Responsibility in Manufacturing

Apex Window Films is the foremost installer of high quality Solar Gard Window Films in the GTA. In 2014, Solar Gard achieved an EPD certification from UL Environment, encompassing 41 architectural window film products.

The UL EPD certification mark indicates that UL has independently reviewed and certified the manufacturer’s environmental impact disclosure that constitutes the EPD. For more information, visit ul.com/epd