THREE FREE OF EXCESS HEAT

The UK headquarters of mobile phone giant Three are based in Maidenhead, occupying a large glass fronted complex. The large quantity of glass makes for an impressive appearance, but was also resulting in excess internal heat and glare. The Window Film Company was approached to deliver an effective solution and as always, we were happy to help.

The preponderance of glass employed throughout the building, meant that the office was heating up very quickly and making life uncomfortable for both staff and visitors. With no shade, glare was also an issue. The front elevation, made almost exclusively of glass, was identified as the main cause of the issues and The Window Film Company undertook a survey to assess the situation and begin work on a solution.

The survey revealed that over 50 large panes of glass required attention, with a number of the panels situated 7 metres from ground level. The Window Film Company always recommends that whenever possible, film is applied to the internal face of glass, thus ensuring the longest possible useful life for the product. The height of many of the panels meant that access equipment was clearly required, with the design of the building meaning that a scissor lift would be necessary for internal application; a scaffolding system wouldn’t have fit into the available space.

With the size of the task and access issues identified and taken into account, work could begin on deciding on the appropriate film. The most effective film for combatting heat and glare is High Reflective Silver. The reflective element of the film bounces away a percentage of solar energy, preventing it from entering the building and contributing to the build-up of heat.

This highly effective film also serves to cut down on glare, filtering out the harshest of the sunlight and allowing for a comfortable internal environment. This is achieved without sacrificing high levels of natural light, or obstructing the view to the exterior which is maintained during daylight hours. During this time the exterior of the glass takes on a stylish and contemporary mirrored effect.

The reflective range of solar control films are available in three grades; high, medium and light. It was agreed that whilst the high reflective product was suitable for the majority of the glass, on some of the lower level panes, a less reflective appearance was desirable. This lead to the selection of light reflective silver, a product that will reject over 50% of solar energy and reduce glare by up to 48%, whilst delivering a lighter reflective finish. This film was chosen for the lower level so that vision was still possible into the premises at all times.

Following the survey, samples of each film were supplied to the client, allowing them to examine each film in situ, in differing light conditions and at different times of day. This process allowed for the selection of the film with complete confidence, the project managers safe in the knowledge that the film would perform exactly as they hoped.

The film was then installed by one of The Window Film Company’s installation teams. Each of the teams employed are fully trained, including the appropriate PASMA qualifications, allowing them to operate powered access equipment.

Once installed, the exterior of the building took on a stylish and professional appearance, completely in keeping with the design of the modern office. More importantly, the film was effective immediately, straight away serving to protect against excess heat and glare.

For more information on the range of solar control and glare films supplied and installed by The Window Film Company, please call a member of the team on 01494 794477 or by emailing info@windowfilm.co.uk