CaseStudy Mitchells Chocolate

3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior Series

Société Générale — Zurich, Switzerland

• Project Scope

“Ever since we moved into this building in early 2008, the heat had been a constant problem for our colleagues on the 7th floor,” says Yvonne Mair, an executive assistant who is responsible for the furnishings and upkeep of the bank’s premises. “Despite the window blinds and air conditioning, I was getting calls practically every day from people complaining that the room was far too hot.” The staff only found the sun’s heat troublesome, but not the light, so the blinds on the windows weren’t much help. “

• Situation

The investment bank is based in what was Zurich’s very first high rise building. Although it’s built in the very simple, clean style of
the 1950’s, it is listed as a building of historical interest. “When we were looking at ways to solve the problem, we had to be careful to exclude any construction work due to the building’s landmark status. Any external modifications had to be invisible and not reflect sunlight off the building,” explains Mair.

• Solution

Due to Société Générale’s very specific requirements—no mirror
effects, no changes to the building’s external aspect, and no
loss of light—the innovative 3M™ Sun Control Window Film—
Prestige Exterior 70 was quickly identified as the best solution to
offer notably more comfortable room climate (61% solar energy
rejection on double pane clear), greater protection against UV
rays (up to 99.9%) without losing natural light nor changing the
appearance of the building (63% of visible light transmission on
double pane clear).

Unlike conventional products the Prestige Exterior Series window
films are optically clear and are non-metalized. As a result, they are barely visible, bring superior heat rejection without any uncomfortable sunlight reflection and do not interfere with electronic devices. These high-performance sun control films, which are comprised of several hundred ultra-thin layers based on a unique nanotechnology, are available in 3 different combinations of shades and heat reduction performances to fulfill every customer specific requirements: 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior 40, Prestige Exterior 70 and Prestige Exterior 90.

Superior performance through 3M Science.

3M™ Prestige Series Films use non-metallized, multilayer
optical film and nanotechnology to achieve what other
films simply can’t:

Enhanced comfort and protection — The spectrally
selective films reject up to 97%* of the sun’s heat-producing infrared light, helping keep interiors cooler, reducing the load on cooling systems and saving energy. By blocking 99.9% of UV rays, the films help protect furnishings from the harmful effects of the sun. And according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, window film is one of several recommended safeguards against UV damage.
Unsurpassed capabilities — What sets Prestige Series Films apart is the precision with which light waves are controlled as they pass through or reflect off of hundreds of layers of film. Compared to other films, the Prestige Series Films increase their performance at a faster rate as the sun’s angle increases. That means greater protection and comfort when you need it the most. When the sun is working its hardest, so is 3M’sPrestige Series.
Enhanced views and aesthetics — Films that reject heat
tend to have high reflectivity. Not with Prestige Series Films. These films are optically clear and can offer reflectivity that’s in some cases lower than glass. That means the same visual clarity, inside and out.
No corrosion. No signal interference. Being non-metallic,
Prestige Series Films aren’t susceptible to corrosion in coastal environments. They also don’t interfere with electronic device signals.

• Result

It took just two days to install the Prestige 70 Exterior Window Film at Société Générale which produced instant results. “Once the film had been installed, my colleagues immediately stopped complaining,” comments Yvonne Mair. “It’s much easier for them now to conduct their heated negotiations with a cool head!”

“Once the film had been installed, my colleagues immediately stopped complaining”

— Yvonne Mair

Case Study Summary

Challenge: Reduce amount of heat from the sun entering the building
Product Selection: 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior Series
Benefits: Improved comfort for office workers while helping to maintain the building’s historical reputation

*3M Prestige Series Films block energy across the entire IR range. The 97% rejection value is based on performance in the 900-1000 nanometers (nm) range