News from Sun-X

For years, the University of East Anglia had sought a solution to damaging ultraviolet radiation penetrating the vast glazed areas of their prestigious Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. Both the east and west elevations required protecting. Contrary to some misconceptions, west-facing windows still need protection, as UV radiation still penetrates, even if no direct sunlight falls on the glass.

The sheer size of the individual panes, each measuring 2.4m x 7m, was proving a  major challenge, as no product was available wide enough to treat the panes without having joins. Despite  this concern, Sun-X  advised  the University that the visual effect of butting together 5 pieces of MT90 clear museum-grade UV film on each pane would be negligible, and would not detract from the impressive curtain wall façade. A trial application to one pane proved very successful. The Sun-X installation personnel each had over 20 years experience, and despite working from a scaffold tower, managed to  execute a flawless application to the remaining 21 panes to the delight of all parties concerned.

A Church of England school in the south of England drew up the concept of a multi-coloured design to complement a glazed skylight over their chapel area, and to focus attention down towards the altar. Sun-X was asked to source a selection of colours to match the desired pattern, and then undertake installation within a short deadline before important dignitaries came to view the area in question.

The resultant effect was quite stunning, much to the delight of the headteacher. As the sun moves across the skylight, a varying and ever-changing array of colours is cast down to the floor below.

A leisure centre in the south of England contacted Sun-X to solve their glare problem for the swimming pools, and overheating problem for children’s play areas and reception, caused by large expanses of glazing. They had previously tried installing internal blinds, but a blind material does not normally have the power to reflect sufficient heat back through the glass, and merely absorbs the solar energy. The material did this to such an extent that it caused the laminate glass to crack, the large panes of which were extremely expensive to replace.

The only solution was to apply an external solar film, with both high solar reflection, and minimal solar absorption, to ensure the maximum amount of heat could be kept out, with a minimal risk of further thermal cracking. Looking for a long-term solution, the centre accepted the recommendation of an external dark silver reflective solar film, with an impressive 10-year warranty.

A powered access boom was required in order to safely access the windows, which Sun-X operatives are qualified to operate.

The film offers 81% solar energy rejection, 80% glare reduction, and one-way privacy in daylight hours, whilst still allowing a clear view to the outside. The coating has a revolutionary self-healing property - when lightly scratched, molecular layers of the film’s outer skin are shed thereby removing these scratches. The longevity is further enhanced by a special ‘Kynar’ polymer coating which is very resistant to weathering, and also by UV absorbers within the film construction and adhesive.

Sun-X has continued to help solve similar problems for various other buildings for the leisure group to which this particular centre belongs.

When a film is applied internally to sealed units, a proportion of the reflected heat becomes trapped in the airspace and radiates into the interior. James Willson of Sun-X advised the facilities manager that in order to achieve maximum solar reduction, the film ought to be applied externally. Additional benefits were minimising the risk of thermal cracking, and also that the work could be completed without interrupting the workings of the numerous staff and machinery.

A further design brief was that the film was required to be of a bronze/copper colour, to match the external façade. This resulted in the specification and subsequent application of an external dark copper solar film, which offers a massive 88% solar energy rejection, 75% glare reduction, and one-way privacy in daylight hours, whilst still allowing a clear view to the outside. The film also has a patented scratch-resistant external weatherable coating to enable it to withstand both the elements and cleaning processes.

Delighted with the result, the facilities manager has also since instructed Sun-X to replace various blinds, and install a band of white opaque frosted privacy film to internal office screens to shield sensitive workings from the eyes of onlookers, without noticeably reducing the light levels.