P70X Case Study

3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior Series

Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates — Cleveland, Ohio

• Project Scope

Founded in 1939, Mitchell’s’ Chocolates resides in a 1920s building that sits in a trendy part of Cleveland with five large windows to showcase their delicious hand-crafted product. The western-facing facade left the afternoons full of sun – and lots of heat – that melted their fine chocolates. Pulling the blinds often left afternoon and evening customers thinking the store was closed for the day.

• Situation

Mitchell’s Chocolates’ 4,800-square-foot building in Cleveland,
Ohio contains a beautiful amenity: five large floor length windows that serve as billboards for the business.

Prior to the window film installation, the shop’s energy-efficiency
makeover included new lighting technology, a lighter collection
of awnings, and HVAC upgrades to the tune of a 10-ton roof unit
along with two smaller satellite units for packing and production
areas. However, the full advantages of these upgrades would
not be realized unless something was done to address the heat
transmitted through the giant west-facing windows.

• Solution

After investigating a range of options, the chocolatier chose 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior 70 installed by Sunray Window Films, which satisfied project’s objectives. He learned about building window film options from a friend who owns an automotive shop in Ohio.

• Result

The Prestige Exterior Window Film was installed within just a few hours with no interruption to the business. According to Jason Hallaman, owner of Mitchell’s Chocolates, the business is already seeing the benefits of their investment. “ROI is already visible and summer monthly revenue is double since last year,” said Hallaman.“Our electric bill is lower thanks to the efficiency of the new AC and window tint. The heat from the sun isn’t entering the room so the AC doesn’t have to struggle.”

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.

The window film allows passersby to see inside the store which
encourages increased foot traffic and sales. “It was a very different situation prior to the window film installation. Some people didn’t realize we were open because we had to draw the blinds in the afternoon due to heat from sun.”

Now, his artisan chocolates are safe from the afternoon sun, sales are higher, and energy costs are lower.

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

— Yvonne Mair

Case Study Summary

Challenge: Retain the benefits of natural light while reducing
the amount of heat generated that melts product.
Product Selection: 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Prestige Exterior 70
Benefits: Sales have doubled during slow summer months since there is no longer a need to pull blinds in the afternoon. Customers realize the store is open.

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