International Window Film Association Offers Safety and Energy Saving Tips to Schools

As students head back to school, the International Window Film Association (IWFA) is offering advice on steps schools may take to keep their students safe in the classroom and dorm room.

From energy savings to skin protection to improved glass safety, professionally installed window film offers many benefits for school districts and school buses everywhere.

"Inside the classroom, on a bus or in the dorm room, if you're sitting next to a window with sunlight streaming in, you're at risk for UV damage to your skin and eyes," said Darrell Smith, executive director of the IWFA, a nonprofit group representing the many benefits of window film. "Window film brings automatic and continuous protection without the need to take action," added Smith.

In addition, the IWFA offers the following advice on window film:

• Energy Savings: Whether placed on the outside or inside of glass, window film may cut cooling costs by 30 percent, repel about 80 percent of solar heat gain and offer similar energy savings as Low-E glass. Return on investment is often less than three years and some utilities offer rebates for window film installation. The IWFA estimates installing window film may cost up to 91.5 percent less than installing new windows.
• Improved Glass Safety: Safety window film is a material specifically engineered to hold glass fragments to its surface, lessening the dangers of injury of flying glass fragments. It may also delay an intruder trying to gain entrance by making it harder to get through the glass, which may prevent a break-in.
• Glare Reduction: Professionally installed window films can also reduce glare by more than 50 percent, while allowing 30 to 80 percent of visible light in.
• Skin and Eye Protection: There is strong evidence that regular exposure to indoor sunlight may lead to health concerns, such as skin cancer and eye cataracts from the cumulative effects of indoor sun exposure. Window film blocks up to 99 percent of the sun's UV rays, a contributing cause of cancers and cataracts.

Source: http://www.iwfa.com/